Publication Date

Fall 11-20-2019

School

School of Communication

Major

Communication Studies: Speech Communication

Keywords

adoption, foster care, storytelling, narrative paradigm

Disciplines

Communication | Organizational Communication | Speech and Rhetorical Studies

Abstract

The need for older children to be adopted out of foster care in the United States is very prevalent. Adoption and foster care organizations are constantly changing and shifting their marketing techniques and promotional materials in order to advocate for the adoption of children out of foster care. One strategy that many organizations employ is a storytelling strategy. These organizations tell the stories of broken children stuck in the foster care system with no hope of finding a forever family. They also tell redemption stories; stories of families that have sacrificed everything to adopt a needy child. Although stories are used to persuade people to adopt children, it is yet to be determined whether storytelling is an effective means of advocacy. In order to do that, this thesis will take the stories from 3 major adoption organizations and analyze them using Fisher’s Narrative Paradigm.

Download

Share

COinS