Does being left-handed make a person different in any way that matters?
Since the late Stone Age, approximately 10 percent of humans have been left-handed, yet for most of human history left-handedness has been stigmatized. In On the Other Hand , Howard I. Kushner traces the impact of left-handedness on human cognition, behavior, culture, and health.
A left-hander himself, Kushner has long been interested in the meanings associated with left-handedness, and ultimately with whether hand preference can even be defined in a significant way. As he explores the medical and cultural history of left-handedness, Kushner describes the associated taboos, rituals, and stigma from around the globe. The words "left" and "left hand" have negative connotations in all languages, and left-handers have even historically been viewed as disabled.
In this comprehensive history of left-handedness, Kushner asks why left-handedness exists. He examines the relationship—if any—between handedness, linguistics, and learning disabilities, reveals how toleration of left-handedness serves as a barometer of wider cultural toleration and permissiveness, and wonders why the reported number of left-handers is significantly lower in Asia and Africa than in the West. Written in a lively style that mixes personal biography with scholarly research, On the Other Hand tells a comprehensive story about the science, traditions, and prejudices surrounding left-handedness.

lgli/R:\Project-Muse\md5_rep\548770B8273EAC63375569CE8D2F8DBE.pdf

zlib/no-category/Howard I. Kushner/On the Other Hand: Left Hand, Right Brain, Mental Disorder, and History_29410720.pdf

On the other hand : left hand, right brain, mental illness, and history

Project MUSE (https://muse.jhu.edu/)

Howard I. Kushner

United States, United States of America

1, 20170925

1, FR, 2017

producers:
Muse-DL/1.0.0

Includes bibliographical references (pages 159-192) and index.

Cover 1
Half Title, Title Page, Copyright, Dedication 2
Contents 8
Preface 10
Chapter 1. Genes and Kangaroos 18
Chapter 2. Criminals or Victims?: Cesare Lombroso vs. Robert Hertz 33
Chapter 3. By the Numbers: Measuring Handedness 47
Chapter 4. Ambiguous Attitudes 62
Chapter 5. Changing Hands, Tying Tongues 75
Chapter 6. From Genes to Populations: The Search for a Cause 96
Chapter 7. The Geschwind Hypothesis 108
Chapter 8. Genetic Models and Selective Advantage 123
Chapter 9. Uniquely Human? 133
Chapter 10. A Gay Hand? 146
Chapter 11. Disability, Ability, and the Left Hand 155
Conclusion: Does Left-Handedness Matter? 165
Acknowledgments 172
Notes 176
Index 210
Publisher:Johns Hopkins University Press,Published:2017,ISBN:9781421423340,Related ISBN:9781421423333,DOI:10.1353/book.55896,Language:English,OCLC:1004661037
Since the late Stone Age, approximately 10 percent of humans have been left-handed, yet for most of human history left-handedness has been stigmatized. In On the Other Hand, Howard I. Kushner traces the impact of left-handedness on human cognition, behavior, culture, and health. A left-hander himself, Kushner has long been interested in the meanings associated with left-handedness, and ultimately with whether hand preference can even be defined in a significant way. As he explores the medical and cultural history of left-handedness, Kushner describes the associated taboos, rituals, and stigma from around the globe. The words "left" and "left hand" have negative connotations in all languages, and left-handers have even historically been viewed as disabled.In this comprehensive history of left-handedness, Kushner asks why left-handedness exists. He examines the relationship—if any—between handedness, linguistics, and learning disabilities, reveals how toleration of left-handedness serves as a barometer of wider cultural toleration and permissiveness, and wonders why the reported number of left-handers is significantly lower in Asia and Africa than in the West. Written in a lively style that mixes personal biography with scholarly research, On the Other Hand tells a comprehensive story about the science, traditions, and prejudices surrounding left-handedness.

<P>Since the late Stone Age, approximately 10 percent of humans have been left-handed, yet for most of human history left-handedness has been stigmatized. In <I>On the Other Hand</I>, Howard I. Kushner traces the impact of left-handedness on human cognition, behavior, culture, and health. </P><P>A left-hander himself, Kushner has long been interested in the meanings associated with left-handedness, and ultimately with whether hand preference can even be defined in a significant way. As he explores the medical and cultural history of left-handedness, Kushner describes the associated taboos, rituals, and stigma from around the globe. The words "left" and "left hand" have negative connotations in all languages, and left-handers have even historically been viewed as disabled.</P><P>In this comprehensive history of left-handedness, Kushner asks why left-handedness exists. He examines the relationship—if any—between handedness, linguistics, and learning disabilities, reveals how toleration of left-handedness serves as a barometer of wider cultural toleration and permissiveness, and wonders why the reported number of left-handers is significantly lower in Asia and Africa than in the West. Written in a lively style that mixes personal biography with scholarly research, <I>On the Other Hand</I> tells a comprehensive story about the science, traditions, and prejudices surrounding left-handedness.</P>

2022-03-08