Molly Ladd-Taylor

Molly Ladd-Taylor is a Professor of History at York University's Department of History, affiliated with the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies. She specializes in 20th-century U.S. history with a focus on gender, family, social policy, eugenics, and child welfare. Her research explores intersections between intimate matters like reproduction and broader political systems.

Education:

• Ph.D. in American Studies, Yale University
• M.A. in American Studies, Case Western Reserve University
• B.A. (Honors History), Oberlin College

Research Interests: Her work examines maternalist movements, eugenics' legacies, 'bad mother' discourses, and institutional sterilization practices. Recent projects investigate mid-20th-century cultural constructions of 'bad' children and their legal/medical ramifications. She co-edited volumes on comparative healthcare policies and maternal blame cultures.

Awards: Honorable Mention from the Disability History Association (2018) for Fixing the Poor, which critiques Minnesota's sterilization policies. Her work has been featured in Journal of Policy History, Gender & History, and Canadian Bulletin of Medical History.

Teaching: Courses include 'Bad' Kids: History, Culture, Media & Law (HIST 3855), U.S. History Since 1945 (HIST 3618), and interdisciplinary seminars on gender and politics. She emphasizes transnational comparisons and public history engagement.

Publications: Over 8 major books and numerous articles analyze welfare state development, eugenics' societal impacts, and motherhood's politicization. Her archival work with Children's Bureau letters provides unique insights into early 20th-century parenting practices.