The Atomic Human

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Assessing Intelligence: The Bildungsroman and the Politics of Human Potential in England, 1860-1910

Author: Sara Lyons

Year: 2022

Summary

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Sara Lyons examines how Victorian literature, particularly the Bildungsroman (coming-of-age novel), engaged with emerging scientific and social theories about human intelligence and potential. The book explores how these literary works both reflected and challenged contemporary debates about intelligence testing, education, and social mobility during a pivotal period in British history.

In The Atomic Human, this work is referenced in the context of discussions about the historical development of intelligence testing and its relationship to social control and eugenics. It helps establish the historical context for how society has attempted to measure and categorize human potential.