Rhetorical Genealogy and the Ethics of Eugenics

<p>This dissertation strives to critique contemporary rhetoric on eugenics. In recent years, scientists succeeded in mapping the human genome and subsequently developed new gene editing technologies. To situate current ethical discourses about eugenics, I trace histories of these discourses at several scales of society – from the macroscopic level of the body politic to the meso level where modes of assessment have been deployed purportedly to accurately evaluate human characteristics to the microscopic level of the gene. I employ Foucauldian genealogy to highlight how, despite marked differences over time in specific eugenic discourses and practices exist, the underlying rhetoric has remained unchanged. The conclusion this study reveals is that eugenics past and present rests on a future, utopian orientation that necessarily entails the elimination of human differences and entire groups of people.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Year dc:date.available

2020

Author dc:creator

• Thomas, David Mark

Contributors dc:contributor

• Joshua S. Hanan
• Christina R. Foust
• Erin K. Willer
• Thomas Nail

• Assessment
• Body politic
• CRISPR-Cas9
• Ethics
• Eugenics
• Communication
• Health Communication
• Other Communication
• Social Influence and Political Communication

Statement dc:rights

• <p>Copyright is held by the author. User is responsible for all copyright compliance.</p>

Language dc:language

en

Repository record dc:identifier

https://digitalcommons.du.edu/etd/1848

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:digitalcommons.du.edu:etd-2846