title: Experiences and voices of eugenics field-workers: 'women's work' in biology.
abstract: Experiences and ideas of eugenic 'field-workers' offer a new historical perspective on American eugenics, while highlighting terms of women's early twentieth-century scientific education and research employment. To advance knowledge of heredity, the US Eugenics Record Office (ERO), between 1910 and 1924, trained 258 students (85% of them women) to collect information about individuals, families and communities. Though some historians have dismissed eugenic field-workers as careless or uncritical, many had scientific or medical backgrounds, and took research seriously. While gendered expectations and other obstacles limited women's hopes for professional advance, the female field-workers created a strong community and culture of their own. Comparing notes, some recognized that their results did not support eugenic assumptions, and cautioned against letting enthusiasm overwhelm scientific integrity. These women field-workers raised serious questions about methodology and ethics, but the situation of eugenics work at the time undermined chances for such criticism to be acknowledged. After World War I, military-related research and political manoeuvring dominated eugenics, further marginalizing field-workers. Ironically, while ERO head Charles Davenport had wanted students to promote eugenics, some demonstrated more fundamental commitment to scientific ideals--but to little avail.
authors.affiliation: History Department, Iowa State University, Ames, 50011, USA.
authors.forename: A S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Bix
mesh_terms: D005053:Eugenics / Q000266:history*; D049673:History, 20th Century; D012108:Research Personnel / Q000266:history*; D014481:United States; D014930:Women / Q000266:history*