Biol 450W - Topics in the History of Eugenics

Institution:

Washington University in St Louis

Subject:

Description:

This is a research-based seminar that explores the history of eugenics both in the United States and abroad, roughly in the period 1890-1960. The seminar begins with reading of some of the seminal works in the history of eugenics coupled with a discussion of historiographical problems associated with this topic. The second part of the seminar is devoted to reading primary sources on various topics (race-crossing, family pedigrees, inheritance of specific traits such as criminality, feeblemindedness, manic depression, pauperism, etc. The third part of the course examines the transformation of eugenics in the population control movement of the 1950s and 1960s. Students give class reports on various readings and prepare four short papers (five to seven pages) as part of the writing-intensive requirement. Emphasis is on both the biological content and social/economic/political context of eugenics work in the first half of the 20th century.

Credits:

3.00

Credit Hours:

Prerequisites:

Corequisites:

Exclusions:

Level:

Instructional Type:

Lecture

Notes:

Additional Information:

Historical Version(s):

Institution Website:

www.wustl.edu

Phone Number:

(314) 935-5000

Regional Accreditation:

North Central Association of Colleges and Schools

Calendar System:

Semester

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