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Not So Dystopian: A Historical Reading Of Eugenics In Science Fiction, Riley Sanders
Not So Dystopian: A Historical Reading Of Eugenics In Science Fiction, Riley Sanders
The Forum: Journal of History
Broadly, this paper is an effort in complicating traditional readings of eugenic themes in science fiction. Two landmark novels, Wells’ The Island of Dr. Moreau (1896) and Huxley’s Brave New World (1932), are highlighted as representative of the early and late stages of eugenics. By focusing on the troubling historical context surrounding these authors, I denounce the simple reading of these works as merely “dystopian”. Scholars like Francis Fukuyama advance these simplistic readings by instinctively assuming that Wells and Huxley were against eugenics. This paper continues the tradition that David Bradshaw popularized in his book The Hidden Huxley, which argues …
Engineering Mankind: The Sociopolitical Impact Of Eugenics In America, Megan Lee
Engineering Mankind: The Sociopolitical Impact Of Eugenics In America, Megan Lee
Voces Novae
During the early twentieth century, the American eugenics movement prospered, spreading its influence within the sociopolitical framework of the United States. The notion of eugenics – the control of human breeding to increase desirable traits, was extensively propagated through the creation of sterilization laws and public programs. Eventually, the public came to view eugenics as a necessity in order to preserve and improve the quality of mankind for the future.