Transnational Adoption and The Search for Identity and Justice Among Nepalese Adoptees in Spain

This article examines Nepalese transnational adoption, focusing on how adoptees navigate identity, confront systemic erasure and resist power structures. Based on ethnographic research conducted in Spain and Nepal, the article underscores the personal and political nature of seeking origins, illustrating how adoptees challenge dominant narratives and demand recognition of their histories. It situates adoptees’ individual searches within broader historical and socio-cultural contexts, offering insights into how adoptees from Nepal navigate identity and belonging, shedding light on the interplay between global adoption policies and South Asian lived experiences. By centring adoptees’ perspectives, the article contributes to debates on kinship, identity and belonging, while also engaging with broader discussions on institutional accountability and human rights in transnational adoption.