Constant or break? On the relations between human genetics and eugenics in the Twentieth Century

Germann, Pascal (2015). Constant or break? On the relations between human genetics and eugenics in the Twentieth Century. Therapeutische Umschau, 72(7), pp. 457-462. Huber 10.1024/0040-5930/a000700

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The history of human genetics has been a neglected topic in history of science and medicine for a long time. Only recently, have medical historians begun to pay more attention to the history of human heredity. An important research question deals with the interconnections between human genetics and eugenics. This paper addresses this question: By focusing on a Swiss case study, the investigation of the heredity of goiter, I will argue that there existed close but also ambiguous relations between heredity research and eugenics in the twentieth century. Studies on human heredity often produced evidence that challenged eugenic aims and ideas. Concurrently, however, these studies fostered visions of genetic improvement of human populations.

Item Type:

Journal Article (Original Article)

Division/Institute:

04 Faculty of Medicine > Pre-clinic Human Medicine > Institute for the History of Medicine

UniBE Contributor:

Germann, Pascal

Subjects:

600 Technology > 610 Medicine & health
900 History

ISSN:

0040-5930

Publisher:

Huber

Language:

German

Submitter:

Pia-Maria Burkhalter

Date Deposited:

22 Mar 2016 08:59

Last Modified:

05 Dec 2022 14:52

Publisher DOI:

10.1024/0040-5930/a000700

PubMed ID:

26111842

BORIS DOI:

10.7892/boris.77371

URI:

https://boris.unibe.ch/id/eprint/77371

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