Equal: A Work in Progress - Defining the Ideal Citizen

Date and Time for this Past Event

• Tuesday, Nov 22, 2022  7pm - 8:30pm

Location

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Details

For the third conversation of Equal: A Work in Progress we will explore the complex and controversial intertwining policies surrounding eugenics, public health, classicism, racism, and immigration restriction.

This is a free virtual program (registration required). Registration closes 2 hours prior to the start of the online program.

On March 9, 1907, the Indiana Legislature passed the first-ever compulsory eugenic law, making sterilization mandatory for certain individuals with mental and intellectual disabilities. This ongoing pursuit of an ideal society gave power to a select few to curate citizenship rights around those whom they considered “undesirable”, through theories in reproductive rights, immigration restrictions, and other policies.

Indiana’s constitution declares “that all people are created equal”. Though this revolutionary idea is a foundational principle of our state, it is marred by a myriad of contradictions. This ongoing series of interdisciplinary conversations examines our collective definition of equality at key moments in Indiana’s history to better understand who is considered a citizen, who gets a seat at the table, and who maintains power in our society.