(iPoster) Illegitimate Parents

• In Event: Poster Sessions: Law and Courts & Elections and Voter Behavior
  In Poster Session: Poster Session: Law and Courts

Abstract

Over 2.4 million children are raised by individuals who are neither biological nor legal parents in the U.S. today. However, when these individuals claim legal rights to child custody, state courts recognise them in only 50 percent of the cases. This paper argues that which individuals are recognized are based on an ideology of family that is shaped by views on gender, kin, class, and caregiving practices. When the individuals’ relationship with the child aligns with these views, they are granted recognition (often at the cost of biological parents) and when these relationships deviate from these views, they are refused recognition.

Author

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