Adopting a position—analysing, theorising and decolonising transnational and transracial adoptions in Sweden

Abstract

Decolonisation was first known as the return of land when the colonial states let go of their illegal settlements in the countries or territories they conquered by violence. However, today decolonisation is also known as the practice of how structures may be decolonised, through knowledge production. The aim of this article is to decolonise Swedish transnational and transracial adoptions through the lens of feminist post-colonial theory and theorisation. The methods involve analysing the field through theoretical concepts within feminist postcolonial theory, followed by autoethnographic writing and theorising of new concepts which can lead to new theoretical positions and thus a decolonisation. New theoretical concepts added to the field are ‘the first world mother’, ‘the second world citizen’ and ‘adopting a position’. By using these theorised concepts, the article contributes to the decolonisation of transnational and transracial adoptions. This new knowledge can be of use for various stakeholders. More specifically, it can be useful for therapists and counsellors if they want to follow and explore adoptees’ lived experience and contribute to decolonisation. Although the article is based on the Swedish context, it is relevant to a wider European and global setting, in that it deepens the theoretical understanding.