An Image of God

An Image of God
Author: Sharon M. Leon
Publisher: University of Chicago Press
Total Pages: 237
Release: 2013-06-05
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 022603903X

During the first half of the twentieth century, supporters of the eugenics movement offered an image of a racially transformed America by curtailing the reproduction of “unfit” members of society. Through institutionalization, compulsory sterilization, the restriction of immigration and marriages, and other methods, eugenicists promised to improve the population—a policy agenda that was embraced by many leading intellectuals and public figures. But Catholic activists and thinkers across the United States opposed many of these measures, asserting that “every man, even a lunatic, is an image of God, not a mere animal." In An Image of God, Sharon Leon examines the efforts of American Catholics to thwart eugenic policies, illuminating the ways in which Catholic thought transformed the public conversation about individual rights, the role of the state, and the intersections of race, community, and family. Through an examination of the broader questions raised in this debate, Leon casts new light on major issues that remain central in American political life today: the institution of marriage, the role of government, and the separation of church and state. This is essential reading in the history of religion, science, politics, and human rights.

The Passing of the Great Race

The Passing of the Great Race
Author: Madison Grant
Publisher: The Palingenesis Project (Wermod and Wermod Publishing Group)
Total Pages: 582
Release: 2012-05-31
Genre: History
ISBN: 0956183557

The Passing of the Great Race is one of the most prominent racially oriented books of all times, written by the most influential American conservationist that ever lived. Historically, topically, and geographically, Grant’s magnum opus covers a vast amount of ground, broadly tracing the racial basis of European history, emphasising the need to preserve the northern European type and generally improve the White race. Grant was, logically, a proponent of eugenics, and along with Lothrop Stoddard was probably the single most influential creator of the national mood that made possible the immigration control measures of 1924. The Passing of the Great Race remains one of the foremost classic texts of its kind. This new edition supersedes all others in many respects. Firstly, it comes with a number of enhancements that will be found in no other edition, including: an introductory essay by Jared Taylor (American Renaissance), which puts Grant’s text into context from our present-day perspective; a full complement of editorial footnotes, which correct and update Grant’s original narration; an expanded index; a reformatted bibliography, following modern conventions of style and meeting today’s more demanding requirements. Secondly, great care has been placed on producing an æsthetically appealing volume, graphically and typographically—something that will not be found elsewhere.