Genetic Politics: From Eugenics to Genome

Debating the rise of genetics in today's medical world, this study examines the values and practices that continue to shape the field of genetics. It argues that genetics as a whole is neither immune to nor ruined by the practice of eugenics, the scientific improvement of hereditary qualities. In contrast, it presents the hypothesis that genetics must be understood within the complex social and cultural processes that continue to shape it. While genetic technology may undermine an individual's freedom, that does not discount its merit. Instead, it emphasizes the importance of listening to women and disabled citizens, as they will be directly affected by the new genetic technologies.