The Research

This project explored the relationship between individuals and their possessions within the context of international adoptee, culture, consumption, and identity. Based on the findings from this qualitative project, we argue that reculturation offers an important theoretical context to revisit assumptions about acculturation, enculturation, and consumption. Furthermore, the reciprocal relationship between an individual and their possessions contributes to the positive reclaiming of ethnic identity for international adoptees.

Manuscripts currently under review for the qualitative and quantitative aspects of this research.

Extending the work: Visualization of Research Findings

How does one capture the essence of an individual’s personal history; their pain, their desires for the future? Beyond the boundaries of qualitative inquiry, data collection, and analysis, this collage represents the abstract complexities of research and what lies beyond charts, tables, and quotes on consumer culture. Hand-drawn by Kirby Cook using an iPad and an Apple Pencil, this printed work depicts the lifelong identity journey and seemingly “permanent liminality” (Appau, Ozanne, & Klein, 2020) for Korean adoptees raised in the United States, in which they navigate feelings of abandonment, an unknown culture, and self-discovery. Providing a tangible manifestation of how transracial international adoptees (TRIAs) build their own rendering of their heritage culture, this visual enriches our understanding of identity and consumption in consumer culture theory. As part of a mixed study with Dr. Michelle R. Nelson, this piece emerged from the qualitative findings in which participants shared their experiences as adoptees consuming their heritage culture. The piece can be displayed on a wall.

Inspired by the findings from twenty-four interviews with Korean TRIAs, the identity journey is depicted as a continuum originating from abandonment and trauma in an unknown land and headed toward an uncertain future in which their “dividual” personhood (Appau, Ozanne, & Klein, 2020) is always changing. Along with self-discovery and reconnection with Korean culture comes anchored feelings of an unknown family, loneliness, and a lifelong path of finding one’s place in the world. Withdrawn from their birth culture involuntarily, Korean adoptees may have little to no exposure to their birth culture and feel a cultural void. Spurred on by external factors (e.g., trip to Korea, anti-Asian sentiment, media) or moments of personal growth, Korean adoptees may engage in efforts to reclaim their heritage culture through the acquisition of material objects. These cultural possessions aid TRIAs in their journeys as they may affirm three identities (e.g., adoptee, birth culture, heritage culture). Furthermore, these material possessions symbolize complex and tangible connections to the birth culture and help TRIAs cultivate their own rendering of their heritage. While material consumption of culture can neither replace lived experiences nor remedy the traumas associated with adoption, the items alleviate the cultural void and offer a coping mechanism for TRIAs to feel connected to their origins and imagined lives in their birth culture. 

While the research focused primarily on material items belonging to Korean adoptees and their meanings, it is important to recognize that there is more behind their stories. Each adoptee may experience the effects of their adoption and connection to their heritage culture differently, and there is no “one size fits all” approach to identity journeys. Often rooted in deeply ingrained emotions, personal identity is a central concern particularly for adoptees scarred by their unknown past. With limited knowledge of their birth or little to no exposure to their native culture, adoptees may feel at odds with their identity throughout their lives; however, these struggles can equally inspire them to seek new opportunities for growth and self exploration.