William Max Nelson

William Max Nelson, Associate Professor of History at the University of Toronto, dives into the unsettling intersections of race, eugenics, and citizenship during the Enlightenment. He argues that while emancipatory ideals emerged, they were deeply intertwined with colonialism and discrimination. The conversation explores the origins of eugenics, exclusionary practices targeting marginalized groups, and the historical evolution of citizenship definitions. Nelson emphasizes the enduring legacies of Enlightenment biopolitics and their shocking implications for modern societal issues.