Original scientific paper
American eugenics
Darko Polšek
Abstract
The article describes a troubled history of eugenics in the US, from its beginnings at the end of the 19th century, through the whole of the 20th. It is a part of a larger historical study on eugenics. It focuses on Davenport, Laughlin, Estabrook and the Eugenic Record Office, on the early racist eugenicists like Grant and Ross, and on sterilization legislation in the twenties and thirties. The intention however was to put the historical debate into a contemporary context, or at least to show that some eugenic ideas have lived long after everybody thought they were dead. There are some hints and quotations that show it might still be possible to misuse sterilisation in the US today.
Keywords
Eugenics; sterilization; Eugenic Record Office; Davenport; Laughlin; Ross; Grant; better baby contests
Hrčak ID:
292
URI
Publication date:
9.12.2002.
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