ADOPTIONS OF GREEK CHILDREN IN FOREIGN COUNTRIES
Professor Gonda Van Sten from King's College London will discuss an important but often overlooked part of Greek history in her upcoming online lecture. Entitled "Children of 'Silent Immigration': Adoptions of Greek Children in Foreign Countries in the 50s and 60s," the lecture will be presented on Thursday, June 27 at 7 p.m. and will be streamed live on Facebook and YouTube.
The lecture examines the mass adoptions of Greek children in the USA and the Netherlands, from 1948 to the 60s. Around 4.000 children were adopted during this period in the two countries, leaving a lasting impact on their lives and their families. Professor Van Sten will analyze the historical context of this "migration", the role of adoption mediators and the difficulties faced by adoptees and their families in their parentage research.
"Adoption brokers played a critical role in the first waves of this historic overseas adoption movement, mainly for designing this program and for allowing the system's flaws to develop," said Professor Van Sten. "This lecture aims to shed light on both the personal stories of these children and the institutional frameworks that facilitated their intercountry adoptions."
Professor Van Sten's works include "Adoption, Memory and Cold War Greece" (2019) and "The Battle for Bodies, Hearts and Minds in Postwar Greece" (2021). Her research bridges literature, history and social dynamics, offering deep insights into the complexities of adoption and migration flows.
Professor Gonda Van Sten holds the Korai Chair in Modern Greek and Byzantine History, Language and Literature at King's College London. Her research covers a wide range of topics in Greek history and culture, focusing in particular on adoptions, migration flows and the cultural impact of historical events.
For more information and to join the live lecture, visit the Melbourne Hellenic Community Facebook and YouTube pages on Thursday 27 June 2024 at 7pm.
Event details
When: Thursday, June 27, 2024, at 7 p.m
Where: Live broadcast on both Facebook and Youtube
