Investigating Historical Abuses

Yannick Balk,Beatrice De Graaf,Georg Frerks

doi:10.1163/25895893-bja10020

Abstract

Abstract This article investigates the phenomenon and practice of intercountry adoption from a historical perspective by using applied history methods. In particular, we employed the method of historicizing current concerns, such as the notion of abuses, and contextualizing them in history. With these methods, we contributed to the Dutch governmental assessment and evaluation of intercountry adoption, indicating that our findings (as laid down in the official report) need to be translated into revised governmental policies. In this paper, we describe how we applied our historicizing methods to intercountry adoption abuses by providing a narrative and genealogy of the topic. We also discuss the pitfalls and merits of conducting historical research into practices that are now considered immoral or unjust, but were long standard practice after intercountry adoption started in the Netherlands. In this way, we also contribute to the ongoing discussion on doing historical research in highly politicized contexts, where the danger of contributing to the ‘blame game’ often lies in wait.

Highlights

On 8 February 2021, the Committee Investigating Intercountry Adoption published its long-awaited report
This section focuses on two countries of origin that are considered illustrative for the wider practice of intercountry adoption, Brazil and Sri Lanka.[31]
In this paper we have discussed how the notion of ‘abuses’ in intercountry adoption can be historicized, the challenges and pitfalls of identifying past abuses, and what added value historians can offer in contributing to large-scale governmental inquiries and to critical policy-analyses and improved policymaking

Summary

Introduction

On 8 February 2021, the Committee Investigating Intercountry Adoption (ciia) published its long-awaited report. The ciia presented its findings about the long history of the Dutch government’s policy on intercountry adoption and possible abuses of that policy. The report immediately made headlines and came as quite a shock to many within Dutch politics and wider society. It was fully adopted by the government, which immediately suspended the practice of intercountry adoption.[1] To others, this political decision came as no surprise, since the ciia drew firm conclusions about the government’s role and responsibilities with regard to abuses that had already been known and reported on in past decades. In the early stages, in the 1950s–1960s, but up until the present day.[2]

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Conclusion