From China to Canada: The Identity Formation of Chinese-Canadian Adoptees

There is a substantial amount of research done examining the lives and experiences of Chinese-Canadian adoptees, yet not enough attention has been given to hearing from the adoptees. This study engages with the experiences of adoptees and how they make sense of their individual and social identities. The study is informed by semi-structured interviews from self-identified Chinese-Canadian adoptees who are 18-24 years old. The thesis expresses two findings. First, when an adoptee self-identifies as adopted, where they believe "home" to be, when they were told they were adopted, and how adoption has been a meaning-making experience for them. Second, it discusses social responses in encounters adoptees had with others. This includes racist remarks from others, an exploration of the family make-up of the adoptee, and where the adoptee experiences community and/or support. To understand the responses of the participants, I drew upon approaches of reflexivity and auto-ethnographic work.