Saving ‘the Greenlandic child’? Postcolonial humanitarianism and ‘the adoption’ of Inuit (Greenlandic) children by Danish families

This article explores why hundreds, possibly thousands, of Inuit children from Greenland were placed into Danish families between the 1950s and 1970s, examining postcolonial ideals of modernization and humanitarianism. It highlights the creation of the ‘vulnerable Greenlandic child’, the coexistence of formal and informal adoptions, and the lasting effects of historical silence around them.

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Publication Details

Journal
History and Anthropology
Published
2026-06-18
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1080/02757206.2026.2687563
Primary Topic
Indigenous Studies and Ecology
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00
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article

Saving ‘the Greenlandic child’? Postcolonial humanitarianism and ‘the adoption’ of Inuit (Greenlandic) children by Danish families

Saana Hansen
History and Anthropology
Indigenous Studies and Ecology
article

Saving ‘the Greenlandic child’? Postcolonial humanitarianism and ‘the adoption’ of Inuit (Greenlandic) children by Danish families

Saana Hansen
article en

Abstract

This article explores why hundreds, possibly thousands, of Inuit children from Greenland were placed into Danish families between the 1950s and 1970s, examining postcolonial ideals of modernization and humanitarianism. It highlights the creation of the ‘vulnerable Greenlandic child’, the coexistence of formal and informal adoptions, and the lasting effects of historical silence around them.

History and Anthropology
University of Helsinki (FI)
Openalex Percentile: Top 4%
Indigenous Studies and Ecology
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Saving ‘the Greenlandic child’? Postcolonial humanitarianism and ‘the adoption’ of Inuit (Greenlandic) children by Danish families — Saana Hansen · History and Anthropology (2026) | TGRS Research Map | TGRS