| Description |
1 online resource (193 p.) |
| Series |
Palgrave Socio-Legal Studies |
|
Palgrave Macmillan socio-legal studies.
|
| Contents |
1. Introduction -- 2. From the Romans to the heroic monstrous: Folkloric demons, tricksters, and changelings -- 3. Legislative reform, social justice, heroic orphans and the rise of human rights -- 4. Fairy tales, Secrecy, shame, and stigma -- 5. Conclusion. Legal Fictions, Dystopian Truths |
| Summary |
This book critically analyses the way in which traditional sociocultural and legal biases might be perpetuated against those with unknown or unknowable genetic ancestries. It looks to law and works of literature across differing eras and genres focussing upon such concepts as inherited stigma, illegitimacy, orphanisation, adoption, othering, reunion, and the right to access truths that relate to ones original identity. Laws role in such matters is often limited (or usurped) by custom, practice, or lingering superstitious beliefs; the importance of oral and written testimony is therefore highlighted. Characters include abandoned or orphaned figures from folk and fairy tales, Romantic and Victorian monsters and heroes, Dickensian waifs, Edwardian rescue orphans, and dystopia-set rebels. Their insights and experiences are mirrored in various present day scenarios that speak to familial human rights abuses, not least forced adoptions and bars on accessing original information. This cross-disciplinary book drawing on Law, Literature, Sociology, Critical Adoption Studies should be of interest to those interested in and those who have been affected in some way by adoption, origin deprivation, or reunion. Alice Diver is Lecturer in Family Law at The School of Law, Queens University, Belfast, Northern Ireland. |
| Bibliography |
Includes bibliographical references and index |
| Notes |
Online resource; title from PDF title page (SpringerLink, viewed January 3, 2024) |
| Subject |
Adoption -- Law and legislation -- Great Britain
|
|
Human genetics -- Law and legislation -- Great Britain
|
| Form |
Electronic book
|
| ISBN |
9783031462467 |
|
3031462467 |
|
