Module 5: Historical and Modern Eugenics

eugenics

Deliberately crafting a society, or controlling human evolution to reach a perfect people through genetics and laws of inheritance.

who coined Eugenics?

Coined by Francis Galton (1883)

who were main supporters of eugenics?

Supported by major U.S. institutions in early 20th century

examples of eugenics

IQ tests, "Fitter Family" contests, Human Betterment League

Jukes Family Case

A study by Richard Dugdale in the late 19th century that claimed to show that social traits could be inherited, often cited as evdience supporting eugenics

U.S. and Puerto Rican sterilization programs

Programs implemented primarily in the mid-20th century aimed at controlling the population of marginalized groups through sterilization, often without consent

Buck v. Bell (1927)

A landmark Supreme Court case that upheld the constitutionality of a Virginia Law allowing for the involuntary sterilization of individuals deemed unfit to reproduce, ruling that the state had the authority to sterilize those considered inferior.

Public opinion shift after the Holocaust

-There is evidence that some powerful individuals in America provided financial support to the Nazi regime in Germany during the 1930s and early 1940s.

-Henry Ford and Charles Lindbergh were noted Nazi Sympathizers

-That was the shift of the Eugenic Movement in the US (and around the world), from “desirable” to “toxic”

Continued sterilization practices post-WWII

Sterlization continued after the end of WWII, with reparations in the early 21st century

Restorative Justice

focuses on healing relationships and community involvement.

Reparative Justice

primarily seeks to compensate and make amends directly to victims

Social shaping via prenatal screening

-In 2004, Denmark offered prenatal Down syndrome screening, regardless of age or other risk factors

-Nearly all chose to take the test; of those who get a Down syndrome diagnosis, more than 95 percent choose to abort.

Why race is a social construct

-Race divides human populations into groups often based on physical appearance, social factors and cultural backgrounds

-Racial categorization can change over time, place, and context

-Race has been used historically to establish a social hierarchy, whereby individuals are treated differently resulting in racism.

preimplantation genetic testing (PGT)

a technique used during in vitro fertilization (IVF) to screen embryos for genetic abnormalities before they are implanted in the uterus

pronatalism

Advocating for higher birth rates, primarily due to concerns about declining fertility rates in developed countries.