Workshop “Genetics, eugenics, and scientific racism: Making sense of old and new challenges”

Despite the promising start of this century, when genetic determinism and scientific racism appeared to be retreating into obscurity, these ideas have come surging back in recent years. New tech companies offer parents to choose the embryo with ‘the highest IQ’ and envision a world in which gene editing will produce increasingly optimized populations. Prominent figures, such as the President of the United States, propagate beliefs about criminality or low intelligence being ‘in the genes’. Genetic research has been increasingly used by extremist groups to argue that social hierarchies are rooted in biology, even leading to hate crimes such as the 2022 Buffalo, NY shooting.

This workshop will bring together experts analyzing scientific and social developments behind the resurgence (or persistence) of eugenicist thinking and scientific racism. From the role of academia to the production of racist ‘citizen science’ by far-right groups, this meeting seeks to address the particular, current iterations of these centuries-old ideas.

Two open panels will be held at the Hörsaal of Marsilius Kolleg on March 11th and 12th at 5pm, these are open to all and do not require registration.