Episode 12: Genetics & the American Far Right

Summary

Alexandra Minna Stern, PhD, author of Proud Boys and the White Ethnostate talks about how the American far right views genetics, genetic technologies, eugenics, and science and the emerging political threat of 21st century eugenics ideology and policies.

Episode Transcript available at: https://www.geneticfrontiers.org/transcript-ep-12

Key Topics

• How does the American far right view genetics and genetic technologies?

• What is the history of the American pursuit of choosing smarter children?

• What has science shown us about the relationship of heredity and intelligence?

• How does the idea of eugenics influence the current administration?

• How does the American far right use the concept of time?

• What is the metapolitic? How does it influence our political future?

Resources

• Alexandra Minna Stern. Proud Boys and the White Ethnostate: How the Alt-Right is Warping the American Imagination. Beacon Press. 2019.

• The Natal Conference 2025

• Southern Poverty Law Center. Profile: Charles Murray. Accessed July 18, 2025.

• Feb. 18, 2025. Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Expands Access to In Vitro Fertilization (IVF). Available at: whitehouse.gov. Accessed July 18, 2025.

• C-span clip from Health and Human Services Secretary Kennedy News Conference on Autism Rates. Accessed July 18, 2025

• Autism Society. Statement on Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s Comments Regarding the Cause of Autism and Misleading Deadline. Accessed July 18, 2025

• Lisa Ko. Unwanted Sterilization and Eugenics Programs in the United States. Independent Lens blog on PBS.org. January 29, 2016

• Buck v. Bell | 274 U.S. 200 (1927)

• Sterilization and Social Justice Lab

• Genetic Frontiers. Episode 6: The Eugenesis of Genetic Counseling with guest, Alexandra Minna Stern, PhD.

• Alexandra Minna Stern. Telling Genes: The Story of Genetic Counseling in America. John Hopkins University Press: 2012.