Narrative Burden

Abstract

This essay traces the qualitative investigation into narrative burden as it reveals itself in interpersonal and intercultural interactions involving transnational, transracial adoptees. Narrative burden is the context and crucible wherein adoptees struggle with issues of racism, privacy, and identity formation, given that narrative is both the origin of individual identity and the reminder of difference. Narrative burden also constitutes the centerpiece of an emerging third space for transracial, transnational adoptees. The study uses autoethnography and qualitative surveys while incorporating identity, culture, third space, and validity that requires a crystalline-based, holistic approach to knowledge creation. This approach leads to a broad understanding of narrative burden and reveals multiple trajectories of everyday interactions and individual and cultural identities.