Sex, Race, and Science

Physicians and historians will be richly rewarded by reading Larson's account of this region's eugenic practices and his admirable restraint from bootless moralizing. His values-respect for human rights and equality-are clearly stated in the last section, but his restraint in the text prods readers to draw their own conclusions.

Analyzing eugenic reforms in the context of state policies, Larson's detailed and interesting study suggests that the [eugenics] movement did not necessarily follow the same pattern throughout the United States, but rather reflected the culture and history of particular regions.. His concerns are particularly salient these days when books like The Bell Curve are claiming that science supports concerns about the risk of degeneracy and the threats posed by 'dysgenic practices.'.

Required reading for all policy-makers called upon to tackle the complex issues integral to the applications of genetics to humans.

Sex, Race and Science is meticulously researched. It will undoubtedly be seen as the major resource on the history of involuntary sterilization laws in this region for a long time.

An excellent book. Clearly conceived, very well organized, impressively researched, and nicely written, it adds a significant new chapter to the literature on the history of the eugenics movement in America. While previous scholarship sketched out the broad ideological contours of the movement, Larson focuses on the actual policymaking implications of this ideology.