Focusing on the artistic resistance to eugenics, the book examines how twentieth-century American artists confronted and destabilized the prevailing eugenic discourse. It highlights their efforts to challenge the ideologies they perceived as harmful, showcasing the intersection of art and social critique in a historical context. Through this exploration, the work reveals the significant role of creativity in opposing dangerous societal beliefs.
This anthology sheds new light on cosmopolitanism and culture in the contemporary world. Drawing on postcolonial, ethnic, and critical race studies as well as recent literary and critical theory, it demonstrates that new cosmopolitan thinking can embrace an awareness of ethnic and local differences. It disputes the utopianism of colorblind universalism and argues for the persistence of “race” and racialized thinking in lived experience. The essays collected in this volume valorize minoritarian perspectives and urge readers to rethink cosmopolitanism from the perspective of the underprivileged and marginalized and highlight the role of culture in mobilizing social empathy and solidarity with the world’s precariat. The contributors, who come from over a dozen different countries and from diverse socio-cultural backgrounds, constitute a vibrant cosmopolitan community in itself.
Heredity Rules in the Twentieth Century
Focusing on the early twentieth century, the book explores the influence of eugenics on American literature through the works of authors such as Jack London and Charlotte Perkins Gilman. It examines how eugenic racial discourse shaped literary production between 1900 and 1940, highlighting the disturbing ideologies that permeated the era. Luczak's investigation reveals the complex interplay between literature and eugenic thought, shedding light on a discredited yet significant aspect of American intellectual history.