Reforming Engineering Education and Practice to Address the Failures and Critiques of Global Development
- Luan Nguyen (Iowa State University)
Abstract
Can attempts to reform engineering education and practice contribute to addressing the failures and critiques of global development? Critics of global development argue that the concept and practice of development reflect the hegemony of the Global North over the rest of the world. In addition, globalization has led to the minoritization of many groups of people because of a technical/social dualism, which suggests that the over-focus on technological development has led to the chronic widening of inequalities within global development. Minoritization refers to the process of being marginalized by means out of one’s control. The need for a more inclusive and holistic growth must be emphasized by considering the needs and perspectives of the minoritized. Adding to this effort, this study contributes to addressing the above question by arguing that engineering work, which is an essential part of global development as much of the current effort on development has been focusing on advancing infrastructure and technology, should not be apolitical or asocial.