ENG 220 - Confronting Eugenics

The modern science of breeding better humans defined the biomedical concept of race in the twentieth century. Coined in 1883 by Frances Galton, eugenics derives from the Greek roots, εὐ (eu) for good or well, and γεν (gen) for to be born and to beget. American doctors, professors, and politicians, conservative and liberal alike, embraced eugenics as a means to improve the nation. But not everyone agreed. This course examines the responses of writers of color to eugenic ideas of race, from the racial uplift and hybrid eugenics of the New Negro Movement to feminist activism and the Chicana Movement, to science fiction futures of cloning and genetic enhancement. Together we will explore how these responses have shaped the legacies of race science in modern medical practice, from genetic counseling to reproductive justice.

Credits 4

Compass Attributes
Humanities, Taylor and Lane Scholars, Structures of Power and Inequality, Writing