Türkiye’de Öjenizm ve Halk Sağlığı: Cumhuriyet’in İlk Yıllarında Toplumsal Dönüşüm

Abstract

The first years of the Republic were a period in which Türkiye experienced radical transformations in social, economic and cultural fields. At the center of this transformation was the goal of building a modern society and a healthy generation. Social health reforms, which began to be discussed with the proclamation of the Republic, have become an integral part of state policies. These reforms, which were made to improve public health, reflected an understanding that aimed not only at individual health but also at national development. In this context, with the influence of the modernization policies of the period, the idea of eugenics (racial health) also found a place in Türkiye. Although eugenics is defined as a branch of science that aims to create healthier generations by improving the genetic and biological characteristics of individuals, its application areas and methods have been the subject of debate throughout history. Within the framework of the modernization moves of the Republic, inspired by eugenic studies in the West, studies on public information, health education and generational health were carried out. Public health reforms, in particular, have been a means through which eugenic thought was reflected in national health policies. In this process, the establishment of sanitary organizations and public awareness campaigns came to the fore. Influenced by the eugenic movements that developed in England, Germany and America, the ideal of raising healthy generations found wide repercussions in Türkiye. However, considering the problematic history and ethical dimensions of the concept of eugenics in the West, the social effects of these practices require a critical examination. Public health reforms in the early years of the Republic provide an important historical context for understanding how Türkiye used public health as a nation-building tool during its modernization process. In this context, it has been tried to determine how and for what purposes the concept of eugenics was applied in Türkiye.