Degeneration Anxieties and Eugenic Contemplations in Modernizing Turkey during the Interwar Period

Eugenics is the practice or advocacy of improving human species by selectively mating people with certain desirable hereditary traits. Eugenic movement gained importance in nation-building and modernization processes starting from late nineteenth century reached its’ greatest popularity first half twentieth century. This study, treating eugenic thought as one travelling ideas early centuries, explored origin development eugenics its associated discourse Turkey republican period. It charts arrival reasons behind appeal for architects a new republic well as, how to what extent was it modified intellectual political milieu elements it, if any, were put practice. By reading existing literature on Turkish major works Eugenicist period, this study demonstrates that Republican elite medical bureaucrats discussed significance motherhood, marriage, hygiene, childcare, sports, physical education come up generation citizens would be healthy, strong, productive. In other words, aimed create healthy robust society collective national identity policies adapted West both catch prove itself against process modernization. Key Words: Eugenics, Turkey, Modernization, Inter-War Period JEL Classification: N450