Eugenics inquiry at UCL continues Oct 2019, formal apology made January 2021

[Sly Saint]

I watched part 1 of a 2 part program on BBC4
Eugenics: Science's Greatest Scandal

Science journalist Angela Saini and disability rights activist Adam Pearson, reveal that eugenics - the controversial idea that was a driving force behind the Nazi death camps - originated in the upper echelons of the British scientific community.

The presenters uncover how shocking eugenic beliefs permeated the British establishment and intelligentsia; supporters included figures such as Winston Churchill and Marie Stopes. They see how eugenics influenced the Mental Deficiency Act of 1913, which resulted in thousands of disabled people being locked up for decades. Eugenics shaped immigration law, education policy and even town planning. The documentary uncovers disturbing links between British universities and German race scientists in the first half of the 20th century, and investigates how eugenics fed into the racist ideologies of Nazi Germany.

UCL is the 'birthplace' of Eugenics dating back to 1904 (Sir Francis Galton see wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francis_Galton )

There has been an inquiry (ongoing) since last year.

Angela Saini is one of the BBC4 program presenters and wrote a piece in the Guardian about the issues raised.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/oct/03/eugenics-francis-galton-science-ideas

another article on the inquiry here
http://www.savageonline.co.uk/our-journal/dismantling-eugenics-at-ucl/

 

[Andy]

Merged thread

UCL makes formal public apology for its history and legacy of eugenics

The apology is part of a range of actions by UCL to acknowledge and address its historical links with the eugenics movement, including denaming spaces on its campus named after the prominent eugenicists Francis Galton and Karl Pearson, enacted in June 2020.

It follows the commissioning of an independent Inquiry into the History of Eugenics at UCL in 2018, which published its report and a comprehensive set of recommendations in February 2020. A sub-group of the Inquiry team published separate recommendations and UCL is responding to both sets.

https://www.ucl.ac.uk/news/2021/jan/ucl-makes-formal-public-apology-its-history-and-legacy-eugenics

https://twitter.com/ucl/status/1347213915386736641