This is a highly readable and well put together introduction to eugenics's past and to its present. Overall, Rutherford writes engagingly and expertly on a subject that is central to his research and the place where he practises it (UCL, Rutherford's university, was at the forefront of early 20th century eugenics research). For me, the book is most interesting on the state of eugenics thinking today as Rutherford explains and unpacks some of the complicated moral quandaries now faced by the medical profession and parents alike when it comes to things like so-called designer babies. Above all what he brings out is the deep complexity of the science which makes our media-filtered understanding of the topic seem too simplistic for words.
There are just a few occasions (most notably in the historical section) when Rutherford's style can be too chummy and once or twice he could do with defining terms more clearly but overall this is an excellent introdution to a compley and emotive topic

Author

Ballhatchet, Kenneth

More products from Ballhatchet, Kenneth

The City in South Asia

Caste, Class and Catholicism in India 1789-1914

Subjects

Libri

History - General History