Published Apr 24, 2018

Emma, Carrie, Vivian

Delve into the haunting legacy of the eugenics movement, as Shankar Vedantam unravels the tragic stories of Molly Brown and Carrie Buck, exploring the human flaws and societal impacts of pseudoscientific campaigns that led to forced sterilizations in America.

Episode Highlights

Topics covered

Episode Highlights

Related Episodes

The Choices Before Us
Answers 383 questions
Radio Replay: The Mind of the Village
Answers 383 questions
In The Air We Breathe
Answers 383 questions
Putting Our Assumptions to the Test
Answers 383 questions
The Power of Family Stories
Answers 383 questions
Encore of Episode 20: Remembering Anarcha
Answers 383 questions
The Influence You Have
Answers 383 questions
Episode 47: Give Me Your Tired...
Answers 383 questions
Episode 43: The Perils of Power
Answers 383 questions
Episode 5: Compassion
Answers 383 questions
We're All Gonna Live Forever!
Answers 383 questions
Zipcode Destiny
Answers 383 questions
Be The Change
Answers 383 questions
The Mystery of Beauty
Answers 383 questions
Radio Replay: Crime As A Disease
Answers 383 questions

Dexa/Shankar Vedantam

Emma, Carrie, Vivian

Topics covered

Popular Clips

Voices from the Colony

A Troubled Legacy

Legacy of Eugenics

Forced Choices

Eugenics and Justice

Eugenics and Society

Eugenics and Justice

Eugenics and Control

The Buck Decision

Eugenics and Tragedy

The Human Flaw

The Test Case

Episode Highlights

Personal Narratives

Buck v. Bell

Eugenics Movement

Related Episodes

The Choices Before Us

Radio Replay: The Mind of the Village

In The Air We Breathe

Putting Our Assumptions to the Test

The Power of Family Stories

Encore of Episode 20: Remembering Anarcha

The Influence You Have

Episode 47: Give Me Your Tired...

Episode 43: The Perils of Power

Episode 5: Compassion

We're All Gonna Live Forever!

Zipcode Destiny

Be The Change

The Mystery of Beauty

Radio Replay: Crime As A Disease

Emma, Carrie, Vivian

Topics covered

Popular Clips

Episode Highlights

Personal NarrativesMolly Brown's reflections on the eugenics movement reveal its haunting legacy and personal impact. Through poetry, she captures the voices of those affected, emphasizing the human flaws behind such campaigns.

Personal Narratives

Buck v. BellThe Buck v. Bell case exemplifies the dark legacy of the eugenics movement in America, where Carrie Buck's forced sterilization became a landmark decision. Her story, along with her sister's, highlights the personal tragedies behind this controversial legal precedent.

Buck v. Bell

Eugenics MovementShankar Vedantam explores the dark history of the eugenics movement in America, focusing on the forced sterilization of Carrie Buck and its lasting societal impacts. This episode reveals how pseudoscientific beliefs led to tragic social experiments under the guise of progress.

Eugenics Movement

Related Episodes