introduce

easy to understandinggood grammar

ASEM 2696: Communication & Adoption
Introductory Essay

(45 Points)

Assignment Description: In this assignment, students invoke practices of self-reflexivity (i.e., a deeper process of
reflection that involves examining one’s own thoughts, feelings and actions and their impacts) and meta-cognition
(i.e., a critical awareness of a) one’s thinking and learning and b) oneself as a thinker and learner). Indexing self-
reflexivity and meta-cognition, students reflect upon and write about what they know and feel about adoption
coming into the course. Importantly, students do not do outside research or read course materials prior to
completing this essay. At the end of the quarter, students return to these essays to assess the knowledge they have
gained form this course, and how this course has challenged them to think differently about their identity(ies),
relationships, community(ies), family(ies), and/or adoption in the broader U.S. or international context. Formatting
expectations: 2 pages of double-spaced text with 1” margins and page numbers, using 12 pt. Times New Roman
Font, plus title page (no page number). Formatting expectations: 2 pages of double-spaced text with 1” margins
and page numbers, using 12 pt. Times New Roman Font, plus title page (no page number).

1. Tell me about what you know, think, and feel about adoption coming into this class. (expected length:
one-page double spaced).

a) To answer this question, rely solely on your pre-existing knowledge and feelings of adoption.
Consider reflecting upon adoption coverage in the media and pop culture—magazine articles,
newspaper articles, books, celebrity news, TV shows, feature films—Or stories you have heard
about adoption told by friends, family, or community members—Or your own, friends, or family
members’ lived experiences of adoption.

b) It does not matter where the information comes from, the important part of this essay is just to
write what you know, what you think, and what you feel about adoption coming into this class.

2. Reflecting on the ASEM 2696 visual model of student learning, describe to me what do you expect to
learn from this course, how it might challenge you to think differently about your identity(ies),
relationships, community(ies), family(ies), adoption, and/or family in the broader U.S. or international
context. (expected length: one-page double spaced).

a) To answer this question, you are expected to spend time with the ASEM 2696 visual model of
learning. This graphic provides an overview of the course, painting a picture of what the course
looks, and showing how course topics and assignments interrelate.

b) Then, inferring from the information communicated through the model and integrating what you
wrote about in Question 1, answer Question 2.

Grading Rubric (45 points in total, broken down as follows)
1. (15 Points) Context and Purpose of Assignment:

Degree to which the essay demonstrates a thorough understanding of the context, audience,
purpose, and the assigned task(s) of the assignment

2. (15 Points) Development of Ideas:

Degree to which the essay demonstrates a thoughtful, evidence-based, and organized approach
to answering the two prompts

3. (15 points) Grammar, Mechanics, and Style:
Degree to which the essay demonstrates an engaging and consistent style and voice, free of
errors in grammar and mechanics, and adheres to length and formatting expectations

ASEM2696: Communication & Adoption, Section

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Course Meets Thursdays, 2:00-3:50 pm
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Winter Quarter 2022

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ASEM 2696-1: Communication and Adoption
Section 2

WINTER QUARTER 2022
Combined/Hybrid Methodologies

Class Meets Thursdays, 2:00 – 3:50 pm, Sturm Hall 258
Teachers open the door, you enter by yourself

–Chinese proverb

In the course of my reading—
in social science research;

in political and historical analysis.
in testimony and memoirs;

and in fiction, poetry, and drama—
I have come to see that adoption

raises the most vital questions about human identity
and the value and meaning of individual lives

–Margaret Homan
Professor of English and of Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Yale University

Adoptive mother

Being a transracial adoptee may be the most radicalizing force in my life,
one that has coursed through me with an intense and raw power.

I see parts of myself in so many humans.
I share the pain and victories of other displaced, abandoned, and re-birthed people.

We on the periphery, learning and watching from the outside,
have a particular power with revolutionary roots.

–Kim Diehl
Multiracial bisexual woman, adopted by White parents, raised in the US South

The is no future and no past, only a long, isolated now

I am not connected to past relations
I am not connected to future generations

I am pulled from the flow of time.
When two robins build a nest together,

Lay eggs and incubate them,
And the eggs hatch, and the babies grow,
And the young birds mature and fly away,

I am not part of that.
–Shandra Spears Bombay,Transracial adoptee

Member of Rainy River First Nations/Manitou Rapids and member of the wolf clan

As an adult adoptee, I often quote the title of Maya Angelou’s book Wouldn’t Take Nothing for My Journey Now
Because I now understand the value of the journey of life.

Where I have been and what I have gone through has made me who I am today—
The beautiful pieces of me that shine and the hidden pieces of me that

only rear their ugly heads when I can no longer manage them under the surface.
All of these pieces are a part of me.

I have some pieces that have rained down from heaven. I have picked some shattered pieces up off of the floor.
I have some piece that come from explosions of anger and some from implosions of depression.

I have been given pieces from family member that I did not know what to do with—
So I put them on a shelf until I can figure out where they belong.
Angel Coldiron, LLC, Former foster child, adopted at 1 ½ years old

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Professor: Suter, Elizabeth A., Ph.D. (2001, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign),
Professor, Department of Communication Studies, Affiliate Faculty Member, Gender &

Women’s
https://portfolio.du.edu/esuter

Contact Info: elizabeth.suter@du.edu
Office Hours: Synchronous:

• Zoom or Office (Room 200 Sturm Hall): Thursdays 12:30-1:30 pm or by Appointment
Asynchronous: Post questions all students might benefit from hearing my response to our
Online Café Discussion Board. Email me between face-to-face classes. Also, you will likely be
noticing more things related to adoption in pop culture and the news media now that you are
taking the course, so share what you notice! Maybe a new television series or film related to
adoption? Or a great news article, image, meme, etc. I invite you to integrate what you are
learning in this course with what is happening in the “real world” right now, for instance, how is
Covid impacting international adoption? Domestic foster care to adoption? —how what we are
learning can be applied to our current contexts and lived realities.

COURSE WELCOME

First and Foremost, Welcome to ASEM 2696: Communication and Adoption! I am glad you are here.
Development of this course was truly a labor of love. I have not only professional interests in this course, but
also personal interests as a White mother of a transracial, internationally adopted child. I am also a biological
mother, so I navigate a multitude of positionalities that I draw upon as I teach this course and conduct my
course-related program of research. I am very excited to be teaching ASEM 2696: Communication & Adoption.
I remain indebted to grant funding that supported the development of this course by a Curriculum Diversity
Grant awarded by the DU Center for Multicultural Excellence and a DU Women’s Library Association Collection
Development Grant. My principal aim in developing this course was to diversify DU course offerings on family
communication. As such, the course goes in-depth on one type of non-traditional family—adoptive families.
May our time together this quarter be an opportunity for profound connection and provide room for all of us
to learn, grow, and change in positive ways.

COURSE DESCRIPTION

ASEM 2696: Communication and Adoption explores communicative dynamics across the adoptive triad—
adoptee, birth parents, and adoptive parent(s). This course addresses issues of identity, cultural context (both
U.S. and adoptees’ birth countries), race, sexual orientation, trauma, and adoption ethics. Curriculum
addresses communication in domestic (e.g., private and foster-care adoptions) and international adoption,
considering myriad of forms of adoption, such as same-race adoptions, transracial adoptions, single parent
adoptions, two-parent adoptions, and gay adoptions. By the end of the course, students are expected to:

• Understand the larger historical and cultural context(s) of adoption
• Understand communicative identity management processes for the adoption triad
• Understand how families formed across racial and national boundaries are subject to and cope

with messages about normalizing cultural ideologies
• Understand how adoptees experience issues of trauma, loss, and grief
• Experience personal narratives for members of the adoption triad

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• Understand how issues of sexual orientation intersect with issues of adoptive family
communication

• Understand public discourses surrounding the ethics of transnational, international adoption

COURSE LEARNING GOALS

Utilizing a learning-centered model of course design, I designed this course around 6 significant learning goals.
Pursuit of these goals undergirds curriculum, in-class and out-of-class learning activities, and assessments. In
this course, you can expect to:

1. Expand your knowledgebase about the complex and multiple perspectives of adoption in public and
private discourses, communication, and identity. [foundational knowledge learning goal]

2. Integrate course curriculum to think in new and more informed ways about your own identity,
relationships with others, adoption, and/or family structures in the broader culture. [application and
integration learning goals]

3. Feel inspired and empowered to apply course knowledge to positively promote real-world adoption-
related experiences, relationships, and public discussions during and after this course ends.
[application learning goal]

4. Become more informed and interested in deepening one’s knowledge and reflection on issues of
identity, culture, diversity, race, gender, and class as they relate to communication and adoption.
[caring learning goal].

5. Feel a sense of connection, community, and belonging with the professor and students in this course,
continuing to learn from and with each other as DU students and alumni long after this course is over.
[human dimension learning goal]

6. Develop metacognitive abilities around inclusion, diversity, equity, and access to enhance student
learning that can be applied to learning in other courses during college and trainings after graduation.
[learning-how-to-learn learning goal]

RESEARCH-BASED PERSPECTIVES ON STUDENT LEARNING

Six research-based perspectives on learning undergird the design of this course. Course materials, activities,
and assignments are cued to these six ways of thinking about learning:

1. Learning as a constructive process: In this view, learning is seen as building upon/connecting to what
students already know. In this course, students are encouraged/provided the opportunity to bring
existing understandings (including doubts, questions, uncertainties, and misconceptions) to the fore in
making sense of new knowledge/experiences in this course.

2. Learning as an interactive, social process: In alignment with this embodied, social view of learning, in
this course, students are provided the opportunity/encouraged to learn from and with each other.
Additionally, students are given the opportunity to create or interact with objects/artifacts in this
environment.

3. Learning as an emotional process: In alignment with this affective view of learning, in this course,
students are presented with opportunities to engage their affective selves. Student emotional
responses to materials are acknowledged and worked with in a supportive climate.

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4. Engagement as essential: In alignment with this view of learning, in this course, student engagement is
supported through the “just right” level of challenge; encouragement to be autonomous, self-directed
learners; inclusion of materials of interest, meaning, and relatability; encouragement of creativity and
self-expression, and a sense of progress.

5. Motivation as critical: In alignment with this view of learning, in this course, student motivation is
encouraged by establishing relevance and through supporting students in developing self-efficacy in
relation to course materials.

6. Learning as “situated in” or “tied to” context: In alignment with this view of learning, in this course,
students are given opportunities to reflect upon what they’ve learned, how they’d apply it, and when
relevant, apply what they’re learning.

Adapted from the work of Virginia Pitts, University of Denver, Office of Teaching and Learning

REQUIRED COURSE MATERIALS

1. Riley, N. E., & Van Vleet, K. E. (2012). Making families through adoption. Los Angeles: Sage. Available at
the DU bookstore

2. Materials posted on our Canvas Website (e.g., readings, documentaries)

INCLUSIVE LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS

In this class, we will work together to develop a learning community that is inclusive and respectful.
Our diversity may be reflected by differences in race, culture, age, religion, sexual orientation,
socioeconomic background, and myriad other social identities and life experiences. The goal of
inclusiveness, in a diverse community, encourages and appreciates expressions of different ideas,
opinions, and beliefs, so that conversations and interactions that could potentially be divisive turn
instead into opportunities for intellectual and personal enrichment.

A dedication to inclusiveness requires respecting what others say, their right to say it, and the
thoughtful consideration of others’ communication. Both speaking up and listening are valuable tools
for furthering thoughtful, enlightening dialogue. Respecting one another’s individual differences is
critical in transforming a collection of diverse individuals into an inclusive, collaborative and excellent
learning community. Our core commitment shapes our core expectation for behavior inside and
outside of the classroom.

The University of Denver has articulated inclusivity and excellence as core values, supporting the vision
of DU as a “great private university dedicated to the public good.” DU recognizes that academic
excellence can only be achieved in the context of diversity and inclusivity. For resources on the larger
context of inclusive excellence at DU, see: The Center for Multicultural Excellence’s resource page at
http://www.du.edu/cme/resources/inclusive-excellence.html; the Chancellor’s vision statement on
diversity at http://www.du.edu/chancellor/vision/diversitystatement.html; and the DU Strategic Plan
document on Inclusive Excellence (drafted 2011), at http://www.du.edu/cme/media/documents/du-
IEStratPlan-2011 .

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The Department of Communication Studies responds to the university’s call for integrating inclusive
excellence into its day-to-day practices of teaching and learning, researching, and serving the
discipline, institution, and public.

The Department of Communication Studies at DU:
• Interprets inclusive excellence as a commitment to an anti-racist, anti-sexist, anti-homophobic, anti-
religious intolerance, anti-classist, and anti-ableist pedagogy and practice.
• Recognizes that forms of oppression are structural, interconnected, and overlapping, and affect
people and the environment on many levels in their day-to-day lives, in public and in private.
• Dedicates itself to community engagement, social justice, and the public good as ways to work within
and with the community.
• Values diverse ways of knowing including lived experiences as important sources of knowledge.
• Endeavors to practice ethical listening and empathic communication, and recognizes that power
relationships shape difference, disagreement, and conflict.
• Commits to creating a sanctuary amidst these times of precarity, particularly for those who face
oppression, dehumanization, marginalization, and conflict.

Grading Scale:
A (93-100%) Outstanding work
A- (90-92.9%)
B+ (87-89.9%)
B (83-86.9%) Very good work, significantly above the level required
B- (80-82.9%)
C+ (77-79.9%)
C (73-76.9%) Work that meets the course requirements
C- (70-72.9%)
D+ (67-69.9%)
D (63-66.9%) Deserves credit, but doesn’t fully meet requirements
D- (60-62.9%)
F (0-59.9%) Work that fails to meet requirements

ASSIGNMENTS

Learning Activities & Assignments

Points

Weekly Attendance & Engagement 100

Introductory Essay 45
Discussion Posts 100

Final Essay 100

Total Points Available in Course

345 points

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WEEKLY ATTENDANCE & ENGAGEMENT
(100 Points available, 10 points max can be earned per week)

Assignment Description: This assignment rewards students for being on time, physically and mentally present
during in-class learning activities. Students can earn up to 10 attendance and engagement points per week of
the ten-week quarter, for a total of 100 points across the quarter. If a student is not present for class, these
points cannot be made up.

Physical Attendance: Students can earn points by:

• Physically being in class,
• Arriving a few minutes early to our classroom,
• Being ready to start class on time.

Completion of in-class writings and reflections: Students can also earn points through mindful and
wholehearted engagement in-class written meta-cognitive musings, reflexivity journaling, and written
professor-student check-ins. These formative, write-to-learn educational activities will be graded for
completion, effort, and engagement and count toward the day’s attendance and engagement on which they
occur.

Engagement during In-Class Learning Activities: As this is a discussion-based class. Students can earn points
by engaging in in-class learning activities in ways that honor our class ground rules and commitments to
inclusive learning environments.

• Honoring Ground Rules: Points are available for engaging in in-class and out-of-class learning activities
in ways that align with our ground rules. One of our first tasks together as a community is to create a
set of course ground rules. Ground rules are the rules groups follow to help ensure classroom
discussions and activities are useful, respectful, and growth-minded learning experience for all learners
enrolled in the course. Be thinking about your past experiences in discussions. Our goal will be to
identify specific behaviors that are likely to contribute to the most fruitful discussions. Be thinking of
your best and worse discussion experiences. Note what specifically and concretely what features made
these discussions so satisfying or frustrating.

§ In addition to the student-generated course ground rules, I posit the following expectations:

• Arrive Early to class and be prepared to start at the scheduled time.
• Complete Pre-Class Assignments: Come to class having deeply engaged with the course materials,

with notes, observations, and insights ready to share and unpack with us. Be prepared to deepen
your knowledge as well as your peers’ thinking during our in-class time.

• Don’t Be Online, On Computer, Phone, etc. During Class: Refrain from activities that are disruptive
to the classroom environment, including, but not limited to side conversations, completing
unrelated work, engaging in social media or other online activities, checking phone, texting,
emailing, etc.

• Be Professional: Treat class sessions as you would work: Put your best foot forward, be attentive,
engaged, and an active participant the full period.

• Be an Active Listener: Do not talk while others are talking. Be engaged 100% when your peers or
professor are speaking.

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• Be Authentic: Bring your whole self, emotions are okay in this course; be yourself and trust we will
rise to the occasion.

• Be Democratic: Share your thoughts and opinions, allowing other to share theirs – do not interrupt
others or dominate conversations.

INTRODUCTORY ESSAY
(45 Points)
Assignment Description: In this assignment, students invoke practices of self-reflexivity (i.e., a deeper process
of reflection that involves examining one’s own thoughts, feelings and actions and their impacts) and meta-
cognition (i.e., a critical awareness of a) one’s thinking and learning and b) oneself as a thinker and learner.
Indexing self-reflexivity and meta-cognition, students reflect upon and write about what they know and feel
about adoption coming into the course. Importantly, students do not do outside research or read course
materials prior to completing this essay. At the end of the quarter, students return to these essays to assess the
knowledge they have gained form this course, and how this course has challenged them to think differently
about their identity(ies), relationships, community(ies), family(ies), and/or adoption in the broader U.S. or
international context. Formatting expectations: 2 pages of double-spaced text with 1” margins and page
numbers, using 12 pt. Times New Roman Font, plus title page (no page number). Full Introductory Essay
Assignment Expectations and Grading Rubric under Assignments Tab in Canvas with downloadable file.

FINAL ESSAY
(100 points)
Assignment Description: The purpose of the final essay is to promote student integration and application of
course materials to advance their own thinking and ability to think in new and more informed ways about their
own lives and the culture(s) in which they reside. Starting with their introductory essays, students have been
charting their own learning trajectory in this course. Across discussion posts, peer responses, and reflections,
students have been writing about not only how they understand the theories and concepts introduced in this
course, but also how these materials have challenged them to think differently. In this final essay, students
choose one of the major topic areas covered in this course as their focus: a) public and private discourses of
adoption, b) communication and adoption, or c) identity and adoption. Integrating their writing in this course
with curricular materials, students explicate how this course has allowed them to think in new and more
informed ways about their own identity(ies), relationships, community(ies), family(ies), and/or adoption and
family in the broader U.S. or international context. Formatting expectations: 5 pages of double-spaced text
with 1” margins and page numbers, using 12 pt. Times New Roman Font, plus title page (no page number). Full
Final Essay Assignment Expectations and Grading Rubric under Assignments Tab in Canvas with
downloadable file.

DISCUSSION POSTS
(100 points in total, first & second posts worth 25 points each; third post worth 50 points)
Assignment Description: Students write 3 discussion posts across the quarter. The purpose of the discussion
post assignment is three-fold. First, it aims to promote student integration course materials to advance their
own thinking and application to think in new and more informed ways about their own lives and the culture(s)
in which they reside. Second, the discussion post assignment aims to set students up for success on their final
essay, as students draw from these posts when writing the final essay. Third, the discussion post assignment
endeavors to foster peer learning and a sense of connection, community, and belonging among ASEM 2696

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students. Students meaningfully engage with one another’s posts, lending insight to one another and
emotional resonance and support as students experience course materials.

“The moment we begin to fear the opinions of others and hesitate to tell the truth that is in us, … the floods of
light and life no longer flow into our souls.”–Elizabeth Cady Stanton

COURSE POLICIES

Honor Code/Academic Integrity
All work submitted in this course must be your own and produced exclusively for this course. The use of
sources (ideas, quotations, paraphrases) must be properly acknowledged and documented. For the
consequences of violating the Academic Misconduct policy, refer to the University of Denver website on the
Honor Code (www.du.edu/honorcode). See also http://www.du.edu/studentconduct for general information
about conduct expectations from the Office of Student Conduct.

Restriction of Audio and Video Student Classroom Recording
Students may not photograph or use audio or video devices to record classroom lectures or discussions or
visual materials that accompany them. This restriction also includes visual materials that accompany the
lecture/discussion, such as lecture slides, whiteboard notes/equations, etc.

Students with disabilities who need to record classroom lectures or discussions must contact the Disability
Services Program to register, request and be approved for an accommodation. All students are advised that
classroom activities may be taped by students for this purpose. Such recordings are to be used solely for the
purposes of individual or group study with other students enrolled in the class in that semester. They may not
be reproduced, shared in any way (including electronically or posting in any web environment) with those not
in the class in that semester. Students who violate this policy will be reported to The Office of Student Rights
& Responsibilities and may be subject to both legal sanctions for violations of copyright law and disciplinary
action under Student Rights & Responsibilities Policies.

Grade Reevaluation Policy
If you wish me to reevaluate a grade you have earned on an assignment; I am happy to do so. I will accept
written requests for reevaluation 24 hours after the assignment has been returned to you. If you would like me
to reevaluate your work, please email me a formal written statement explaining which aspects of the
assignment you believe deserve reevaluation.

Late Paper Policy
Assignments will be considered late if they are turned in after the assigned day and time. An assignment not
turned in by the assigned date and time, but turned in within 24 hours after, will be penalized by 25% of the
total points possible. Assignments turned in within 48 hours will be penalized by 50%. No other late papers
will be accepted.

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CAMPUS RESOURCES & SYLLABUS STATEMENTS

Writing Center Services
The Writing Center offers individual and group writing support for all undergraduate and graduate students,
faculty, and staff at the University of Denver. Many students, even those who are confident writers or are well
into their academic programs, have questions about writing. Working with peer consultants in the Writing
Center can help them to develop or refresh their habits and learn new strategies that they can take with them
to future classes and writing situations.

At a Glance:

• All students can make appointments at du.mywconline.com for individual, 45-minute consultations
online in Zoom or in person on AAC 280 from Wednesday, January 5, through the end of finals.

• Consultations are available six days per week, including Sundays and evenings. Specific hours and
schedules will be available at du.mywconline.com.

• Our 30 peer consultants are graduate or advanced undergraduate students, with graduate-level
training in writing center practice, from a variety of fields of study.

• Consultations are collaborative, non-evaluative, and learning oriented. We work with students in live
sessions and do not edit their work for them or provide comments on drafts by email. Students can
expect to be active participants in all sessions.

• Our ePortfolio site includes a variety of writing resources; we are always updating this site and are
happy to develop or find resources in response to requests.

Sometimes students expect that they can email a draft for comments or that we will edit their paper for them.
In fact, we avoid one-time fixes and instead approach consultations as learning situations; we work with
students to help them learn to do more intentional work in their writing. That work might include editing and
proofreading, but it also includes a range of the many other actions that fall under the umbrella of “writing”:
understanding assignment prompts, reading, planning and outlining, developing and refining research
questions, using evidence, integrating texts, analyzing and synthesizing, drafting, revising, building an
argument, learning to use a citation style, making decisions about code-meshing and language use, and much
more.

Students can bring academic, personal, professional, career-oriented, and creative writing to us at any stage in
their process, from the moment they receive an assignment prompt to the moment they are putting the
finishing touches on a paper. Whether they are working on an academic paper, a speech, a discussion board
post, or a study abroad application, they can find support through our ePortfolio resources and our
consultations.

Responsibility for Privilege and Oppression (From University of St. Thomas)
We acknowledge that racism, classism, ableism, homophobia, transphobia, sexism, and other forms of
oppression exist. Any critical examination of oppression requires us to recognize that we have been
systematically taught misinformation about our own group as well as about members of other groups. It also
means that, if we are a part of a dominant group (e.g. white, male, upper/middle class, able-bodied, and/or
heterosexual), we have unearned privilege that carries into the classroom and for which we are responsible.
Being responsible means examining our words and actions and considering how we can be allies to others. We

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cannot be blamed for the misinformation that we have learned and for taking unconscious advantage of our
privilege, but we will be held responsible for repeating misinformation or engaging in oppressive behavior
once we have learned otherwise.

Land Acknowledgment
It is important to recognize that the University of Denver resides on lands that are held in stewardship by the
Cheyenne and Arapaho tribes. It is with much gratitude that we recognize the descendant communities of the
Northern Cheyenne Tribe of Montana, the Northern Arapahoe Tribe of Wyoming, and the Southern Cheyenne
and Arapaho Tribes of Oklahoma and remember that it is through their sacrifices that we are able to engage in
learning and collaboration to further the study of higher education. To learn more about DU’s recognition and
reconciliation of their involvement in the Sand Creek Massacre, please review the John Evan’s report at:
https://portfolio.du.edu/evcomm/page/52699

Religious Accommodations Policy
University policy grants students excused absences from class or other organized activities or observance of
religious holy days, unless the accommodation would create an undue hardship. You must notify me by the
end of the first week of classes if you have any conflicts that may require an absence. It is your responsibility
to make arrangements with me in advance to make up any missed work or in-class material.

Students with Disabilities/Medical Issues
If you qualify for academic accommodations because of a disability or medical issue please submit a Faculty
Letter to me from Disability Services Program (DSP) in a timely manner so that your needs may be addressed.
DSP is located on the 4th floor of Ruffatto Hall; 1999 E. Evans Ave.303.871/ 2372 / 2278/ 7432. Information is
also available on line at http://www.du.edu/disability/dsp; see the Handbook for Students with Disabilities.
Please let me know if there is anything I can do to help you better access the materials in this course, and I will
try to do it if I can. I am here to support your growth and learning!

Mental Health & Wellness
As part of the University’s Culture of Care & Support we provide campus resources to create access for you to
maintain your safety, health, and well-being. We understand that as a student you may experience a range of
issues that can cause barriers to learning, such as strained relationships, increased anxiety, alcohol/drug
concerns depression, difficulty concentrating and/or lack of motivation. These stressful moments can impact
academic performance or reduce your ability to engage. The University offers services to assist you with
addressing these or ANY other concerns you may be experiencing. If you or someone you know are suffering
from any challenges, you should reach out for support. You can seek confidential mental health services
available on campus in the Health & Counseling Center (HCC). Another helpful resource is Student Outreach &
Support (SOS), where staff work with you to connect to all the appropriate campus resources (there are
many!), develop a plan of action, and guide you in navigating challenging situations. If you are concerned
about one of your peers, you can submit a report through our Pioneers Care System. More information about
HCC, SOS, and Pioneers CARE can be found at: Health & Counseling Services Student Outreach & Support and
Pioneers Care reporting

ASEM 2696: Communication & Adoption, Section 2
Course Meets Thursdays, 2:00-3:50 pm
Sturm Hall 258
Winter Quarter 2022

11

DU Food Pantry
This supplemental food source is available to anyone with a DU ID who is experiencing need. It is located at
Centennial Towers, Tuesdays 2-6pm. To prioritize health and safety of staff and clients, we’re using an online
request form and staggered pickup times in the loading zone at 1770 South Williams Street. If you have high
need, we encourage you to contact Hunger Free Colorado’s Food Resource Hotline, or check out their COVID-
19 page. Faculty, staff, and students who have questions as to how they can help can contact Chad King
at chad.king@du.edu.

Title IX
Gender violence can happen to anyone regardless of race, class, age, appearance, gender identity, or sexual
orientation. The University of Denver is committed to providing an environment free of discrimination on the
basis of sex (gender), including sexual misconduct, sexual assault, relationship violence, and stalking. The
Center for Advocacy, Prevention and Empowerment (CAPE) provides programs and resources to help promote
healthy relationships, teach non-violence and equality, and foster a respectful and safe environment for all
members of the University of Denver community. All services are confidential and free of charge. For
assistance during business hours, call 303-871-3853 and ask to speak to the Director of CAPE. After hours,
please call the Emergency & Crisis Dispatch Line at 303-871-3000 and ask to speak to a CAPE advocate.

FERPA and Privacy
The University of Denver is committed to the safeguarding and accurate maintenance of student records. The
Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) of 1974 provides students with a number of rights regarding
their educational records. Occasionally students will need to release part or all of their student record(s) to
third parties such as parents, attorneys, or employers. The University of Denver will not release student
records without the written consent of the student. For more information, please see
the Notification to Students of Educational Records and Student Information Rights and Policies or contact the
Office of the Registrar at 303.871.4300 or registrar@du.edu.

Research Center Services
The University Libraries Research Center (http://libraryhelp.du.edu) answers research questions seven days a
week by phone, email, in-person, chat/IM or text. One-on-one research consultations in the Anderson
Academic Commons are also available on a drop-in basis or by appointment. Consultations help students at
any stage of the research process, from refining a topic, to finding books and articles, to creating a
bibliography. The Research Center can also assist students with finding images, audio recordings, and videos
for course projects. Telephone and Zoom video consultations are also available by request for distance
students. Ask a question or make an appointment by calling 303-871-2905 or visiting
http://libraryhelp.du.edu. Over 99% of the students who have visited the Research Center report they would
recommend the Research Center to a friend or classmate.

ASEM 2696: Communication & Adoption, Section 2
Course Meets Thursdays, 2:00-3:50 pm
Sturm Hall 258
Winter Quarter 2022

12

Week/Topic Day Pre-Class Learning Activities

In Class Learning
Activities

Out of Class Assessment

Week 1:
Introductions

Thurs.,
Jan. 6

Study Course Syllabus (on Canvas) and Course Canvas Site. Bring questions.
Study Introductory Essay Assignment, Bring Questions
Create Introduction Discussion Post (Graded for Completion-Due by first day)

-Introductions
Students &
Professor
-Overview &
Questions about
course
-Ground Rules
Discussion
-Introductory Essay
Introduction
-Week Two
Curriculum
Introduction

-Introductory Essay (45
points) Due Sunday by
midnight

Week 2:
Course
Foundations

Thurs.,
Jan

13

Be introduced to the study of adoptive families
Read: Introduction (pp. 1-14) in Making Families Through Adoption

Be introduced to adoption across globe, societies, and history
Read: Ch 1: Adoption Across Cultures (pp. 15-36)

Be introduced to the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA)
–Read: “Flying the coop: ICWA and the welfare of Indian children by Heidi
Kiiwetinepinesiik Stark & Kekek Jason Todd Stark
–Listen to podcast about the present day Native child custody case to be
ruled on this Jan by Supreme Court: Brackeen v Haaland case, that
challenges the constitutionality of the ICWA

7. Before The Court

Course Foundations
Curriculum
Discussion,
Reflection & Writing

Week 3 Curriculum
Introduction

Week 3:
History &
Cultural
Context of
U.S. Domestic
Adoption

Thurs.,
Jan. 20

Be introduced to historical perspectives on Adoption in the U.S.
Read: Ch. 2, Adoption in the United States: Historical Perspectives (pp. 37-
54) in Making Families Through Adoption

Be introduced to the history of adoption post WWII- Roe v. Wade
–Read: Fessler, A. (2006). My own story as an adoptee. (pp. 1-6). In The girls
who went away: The hidden history of women who surrendered children for
adoption in the decades before Roe v. Wade (in Files)
–Read: Fessler, A. Breaking the silence. (pp. 7-27). (in Files)
–View: A Girl Like Her Documentary (48 minutes) (In Media Gallery) with
Viewing Guide (in Files)

History & Cultural
Context of Adoption
in the U.S:
Curriculum
Discussion,
Reflection & Writing

Week 4 Curriculum
Introduction

ASEM 2696: Communication & Adoption, Section 2
Course Meets Thursdays, 2:00-3:50 pm
Sturm Hall 258
Winter Quarter 2022

13
Week/Topic Day Pre-Class Learning Activities

In Class Learning
Activities
Out of Class Assessment

Week 4:
Public &
Private Inter-
penetrations
in the
Adoptive
Family;
Sexuality and
Adoption

Thurs.,
Jan. 27

Deepen understandings of how public discourses, norms, and institutions shape the
“private” family

Read: Ch. 3: Adoption: Private Decisions, Public Influences (pp. 55-72) in
Making Families Through Adoption

Focus on issues related to sexuality and the adoptive family

Read: Suter, E. A. (2014). Communication in lesbian and gay families. In L. H.
Turner & R. West (Eds.), The SAGE handbook of family communication (pp.
235-247). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. (in Files)

View: Daddy & Papa Documentary (56 minutes) (Course Reserves) with
viewing guide (files)

Engage with gay adoptee voices
Read “Finding the universal: Reflections on a multi-prismed identity” by
Mark Hagland (files)

Public & Private
Inter-
penetrations in the
Adoptive Family;
Issues of Sexuality
and Adoption
Curriculum
Discussion,
Reflection & Writing

Week 5 Curriculum
Introduction

Discussion Post 1 (25 points)

Week 5: Race,
Ethnicity &
Racism in
Adoption

Thurs.,
Feb. 03

Deepen understandings of intersections of adoption, race, ethnicity, and racism
Read: Ch. 4: Race, Ethnicity, and Racism in Adoption and Fosterage Systems
(pp. 73-93) in Making Families Through Adoption

Read: Transracial Parenting in Foster Care & Adoption – Strengthening Your
Bicultural Family (in Files)

View: Struggle for Identity: Issues in Transracial Adoption and a
conversation 10 years later Documentary (52 minutes) with viewing Guide
(in Files)

Engage with transracial adoptee voices
Read “Lifelong impact, enduring need” by John Raible (files)
Read “Love is colorblind: Reflections of a mixed girl” by Jeni C. Wright (files)

Race, Ethnicity &
Racism in Adoption
Curriculum
Discussion,
Reflection & Writing

Week 6 Curriculum
Introduction

Midcourse
Evaluations

ASEM 2696: Communication & Adoption, Section 2
Course Meets Thursdays, 2:00-3:50 pm
Sturm Hall 258
Winter Quarter 2022

14

Week/Topic Day Pre-Class Learning Activities

In Class Learning
Activities
Out of Class Assessment

Week 6:
International
Transracial
Adoptions

Thurs.,
Feb 10

Deepen understandings of international, transracial adoption
Read: Chapter 5, The Practices of Transnational Adoption (pp. 94-122)
Making Families Through Adoption

Toggle to https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/Intercountry-
Adoption/adopt_ref/adoption-statistics-esri.html?wcmmode=disabled
•Explore the date under the differing buttons on top
(Adoptions by Country, Adoptions by U.S. State, Adoptions by Year)
• Be Mindful of Patterns across the years, increases or decreases in
numbers of adoptions across the year from particular sending countries,
increases or decreases in male or female adoptions from particular sending
countries across the years, etc.)

Read: Afifi, W. A., & Guerrero, L. K. (2000). Motivations underlying topic
avoidance in close relationships. In S. S. Petronio (Ed.), Balancing the secrets
of private disclosures. Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum. (in Files)

View: Adopted Documentary (1 hour, 20 minutes) with viewing guide (in
Files)

International
Transracial
Adoptions
Curriculum
Discussion,
Reflection & Writing

Week 7 Curriculum
Introduction

Discussion Post 2 (25 points)
(Write to Learn)

Week 7:
International
Adoptions
from China

Thurs.,
Feb. 17

Deeper introduction to international adoptions from China
Read: Johnson, K. A. (2009). Adoption. In D. Pong (Ed.), Encyclopedia of
modern China (Vol 1, pp 3-8). (in Files)

Read: Johnson, K. A. (2004). Chapter Four: Infant abandonment and
adoption in China, 1996-2000. (pp. 75-134). *Separated into 3 files (all in
Files)
Johnson_2004_Ch 4 pp. 76-102
Johnson_2004_Ch 4 pp. 103-134
Johnson_2004_Photos_Wanting a Daughter Needing a Son

View Found documentary with viewing guide & reviews (in files)

Engage with Chinese adoptee voices:
Read: “Precious Jade” by Jenna Cook, Chinese adoptee(files)

International
Adoptions from
China Curriculum
Discussion,
Reflection & Writing

Week 8 Curriculum
Introduction

ASEM 2696: Communication & Adoption, Section 2
Course Meets Thursdays, 2:00-3:50 pm
Sturm Hall 258
Winter Quarter 2022

15

Week/Topic Day Pre-Class Learning Activities

In Class Learning
Activities
Out of Class Assessment

Week 8:
International
Adoptions
from Russia &
the Tough
Love Podcast,
adoptee
collaboration

Thur.,
Feb. 24

Deeper introduction to international adoptions from Russia
View The Dark Matter of Love: Science can Change the Way you Love
documentary with viewing guide (files)

Introduction to Tough Love Podcast: Adoptees’ Perspectives on Relationships
View Interview with Heritage Camps for Adoptive Families executive
director Pam Sweetser & Marisa Tafoya
https://du.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01UODE_INST/1gq64ta/alm
a991042178135502766

Post Cast Creators:
• Glenna Boggs, DU alum, twin, musician, queer, ASEM 2696 Alum

International closed adoption from Russia, adopted 1999 at 9 mo,
• Lauren Fishbein, international, transracial adoptee from Chile in

reunion with birth family, adoption therapist,
https://lilunacoaching.com/

• Deontae Boswell, domestic, transracial adoptee, born and raised in
Austin, TX, open adoption

Listen to the Episode 6 “In or Out of the Adoption Fog, with Natalie Boggs

International
Adoptions from
Russia & Tough Love
Curriculum
Discussion,
Reflection & Writing

Week 9 Curriculum
Introduction

Week 9:
International
Adoption
from Vietnam

Thurs.,
Mar 03

Deeper introduction to international adoptions from Vietnam
-Read Sachs, D. (2010). Introduction. In The life we were given: Operation
babylift, international adoption, and the children of war in Vietnam (pp. XI-
XIX). (files)
-Read Ballard, Robert L., & Ballard, Sarah J. From Narrative Inheritance to
Narrative Momentum: Past, Present, and Future Stories in an International
Adoptive Family (files)
-View Operation Babylift documentary with viewing guide (files)

Engage with Vietnamese adoptee voices

-Read: “Beyond the Vietnam War adoptions: Representing our transracial
lives” Indigo Williams Willing, adopted from Saigon, Vietnam to Sydney
Australia in 1972, convener of the Adopted Vietnamese International (AVI)
community network http://www.adoptedvietnamese.org/
-Read “Waking up American” by Jared Rehberg, Vietnamese Adoptee
Singer-Songwriter and engage Jared’s music and story
https://jaredrehberg.com/

International
Adoption from
Vietnam Curriculum
Discussion,
Reflection & Writing

Week 10 Curriculum
Introduction

Discussion Post 3 (50 points)
(Aesthetic: Art to Learn)

ASEM 2696: Communication & Adoption, Section 2
Course Meets Thursdays, 2:00-3:50 pm
Sturm Hall 258
Winter Quarter 2022

16

Week/Topic Day Pre-Class Learning Activities

In Class Learning
Activities
Out of Class Assessment

Week 10:
Ethics,
Ambiguous
Loss, and
Adoption

Thurs.,
Mar 10

Deeper introduction to issues of Ethics and Adoption
View In the Matter of Cha Jung Hee documentary (course reserves) with
viewing guide (files)

Introduction to issues of Ambiguous Loss and Adoption

Read: “Ambiguous Loss Haunts Foster and Adopted Children” from
Adoptalk (files)

Read: Powell, K. A., & Afifi, T. D. (2005). Uncertainty management and
adoptees’ ambiguous loss of their birth parents, Journal of Social and
Personal Relationships, 22, 129-151. (files)

Ethics, Ambiguous
Loss, and Adoption
Curriculum
Discussion,
Reflection & Writing

Final Course
Evaluations

Final Exam
Period

Final Essay due by the end of the final exam – Friday, March 18