Summary
A march was held at Russia’s capital called Moscow. People marched to show their support for a ban on adoptions of Russian children by Americans. Putin the president of Russia demands for better care for Russian orphans in their homeland. More tension was brought when Max Shatto a Russian born died in January in Texas, where his adoptive parents live. Angry activists believe and want Max Shatto’s younger brother Kris to be taken from the family and returned to Russia. “We gave away something that is our, and we need to take it back,” said demonstrator Alexei Dobrenkov,40. Moreover, Russian officials views Max Shatto’s case as a result of abuse. On the other hand, Texas authorities explained, that his death was “an accident he died from a torn abdominal artery and had bruises consistent with injuring himself.” Russian officials do not believe Texas authorities. Russian officials explained, “There have been at least 20 such deaths in two decades and those U.S. authorities have been too lenient on the parents.” Since the Soviet Union collapse in 1991 60,000 of Russian children have been adopted by Americans. 650,000 are considered by orphans in Russia, 110,000 or them lived in state institutions in 2011, official data shows. 7,400 adoptions were by Russian Families in 2011, versus 3,400 adoptions by families aboard. Russian citizens are labeling Putin a “child killer”. Putin stepped up efforts and suggested, “the ban is justified because Russia should take care of its own children, and has order improvements to care for orphans.
Critique/Sociological Analysis
A downsize to this article is that it served more to discuss how Putin wants to improve care orphans, how these Russian children are being adopted by Americans, and how most Russians want to ban on adoptions of Russian children by Americans. On the other hand, the article did bring up a good point on how Russian adoption has become an issue between the U.S. and Russia. However, the article flaw is that it does not provide background information on why there are so many children being adopted and placed in orphanages. It did mention since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 60,000 of children have been adopted by American, but it fails to mention why the Soviet Union has caused a social problem for families to take care of their children. The article needed to give more information on some background information on how Russian’s families’ transition from Communism has caused them a great deal of stress. It is safe to assume that most members from global societies would consider this a social issue that needs to be viewed from a democratic and societal standpoint. From a democratic standpoint most global societies would probably agree that there is more explanation needed to be done on why children are being adopted and placed in orphanages. Information on the Russian Transition from Communism will help to explain why this is occurring. In the USSR communist there was not any freedom for Russian citizen, but there was stability. Also, the families knew they will have a stable income. Russia’s economic inflation and the transition to a federation has greatly impacted Russian families education, housing, medical care, jobs, goods, gender roles, sports/cultural facilities, and standard of living. The commitment to bettering a human condition (democratic standpoint) can be looked at as a possibility to helping families to take better care of their children rather than giving them up for adoption or placing them in orphanages. To elaborate more I what I mean on better human condition is there are several factors (economic inflation and Russian transition from Communism) that affect these families that they cannot provide in order to take care of their children. Therefore, Putin from a democratic standpoint would have to look at the causes of families not being able to take care of their children, and look beyond then just “ordering improvements to care for orphans.” There is also a current issue of Russia struggling to build democratic political system and market economy to replace the strict social, political, and economic controls of the Communist period. These people are use of stability and living in a collective view on what is good for everyone. Even though Russia is more urban people have a lot of communal spirit especially those in the rural area. Furthermore, jobs are not stable as they use to be in the Communist period where women were paid 75% of what men make. Now jobs are a capitalist or free market, but losing a business with so many competitions can be a challenge. Moreover, fewer jobs are available and only 20% of women own business and 80% of men own business. Women work part time jobs and that does not help support the family. The federation gave them freedom but also caused a class system and gender inequality. Now women are more likely to be unemployed and paid less than 40% of what men make. Moreover, services such as education, healthcare, and housing are not provided any more citizens have to buy more. Education use to be free from preschool through college, but now it is only free from preschool through high school. Also, we have to be mindful this has to possibly be a big factor for families because in the Communist period there was not any gender gap. My rational to bring up gender gap is because education is valued equally between both men and women in Russia; their literacy rate is 99.6% for both men and women. Another factor is no free health care where there is no tap water in facilities, and undesirable health facilities. Because lack of healthcare and health services infant mortality has increased, life expectancy decreased and diseases have increase. Another factor is lack of accommodation for living conditions. Housing waiting list takes ten years and Russian citizen have to find where to live. Other things such as fees to attend sport and cultural facilities are no free any more people have to pay fees. In addition to my analysis, now that Russia has opened up to the world (isolation because of geography USSR) and has things available Russian citizens cannot afford it. Even though they have more freedom they are use of stability and this has caused domestic violence and alcoholism rates to increase. This social and economic issue of transition from a USSR Communist county to today’s Russia Federation has caused half of Russia’s families and children to be poor. Therefore, from a societal standpoint this has to be better understood on how this government transition may seriously threaten the continuation of society as we know it, and one example would be Russia’s infant mortality and life expectancy also many other factors mentioned. From a democratic standpoint it has to be better understood that there needs to be a commitment to bettering Russian living conditions in order to help families take better care of their children. It takes more than just looking at Russian children being adopted and placed in orphanage; it has to be seen as a social issue that is harming a large number of Russian families. As a result of transition of Communism to Federation and the economic inflation families cannot support their children, so the children end up in orphanages or given for adoption. Abortion has increased because cannot take care of their children and birth controls are a week’s pay. There is more to think about than Putin idea that there needs to be “improvements to care for orphans.”
I have abided by the UNCG academic integrity code on this assignment Maribel Rivera.
Resources:
Charon and Vigilant 2009 Chapter 1 “An Introduction to the Study of Social Problems” in Social Problems Readings with Four Questions
Roopnarine, Jaipaul L. & Gielen, Uwe P. (2005). Families in global perspective. Boston: Allyn & Bacon.
Article Title: Russian demonstrators rally in support of US adoption ban
Maribel Rivera, March 3, 2013, 9: 34PM
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