First published 1998
Eugenics promised to perfect humanity through selective breeding and genetic control. Daniel Kevles examines this controversial science from its birth in the late 1800s through its modern incarnation in genetic engineering laboratories. The book reveals how scientists competed to define human improvement while governments implemented policies based on heredity theories. Kevles weaves together personal stories and scientific rivalries to show how eugenic ideas shaped research and policy across more than a century. He traces the evolution from early family studies to contemporary genetic technologies. The narrative captures the human ambitions and conflicts that drove eugenic research forward. Readers discover how theories of biological improvement influenced everything from immigration law to medical practice. This account illuminates the persistent appeal of genetic solutions to social problems.
Genres: 20th-century, non-fiction, 21st-century, academic, history-of-science, eugenics
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: social-commentary
Period: Late 1800s, Modern
448 pages · Paperback · Harvard University Press