This book presents a critical examination of conversations between engineering, social sciences, and the humanities asking whether their conversations have come of age. These conversations are important because ultimately their outcome have real world consequences in engineering education and practice, and for the social and material world we inhabit. Taken together the 21 chapters provide scholarly-argued responses to the following questions.
- Why are these conversations important for engineering, for social sciences, and for the humanities?
- Are there key places in practice, in the curriculum, and in institutions where these conversations can develop best?
- What are the barriers to successful conversations?
- What proposals can be made for deepening these conversations for the future?
- How would we know that the conversations have come of age, and who gets to decide?
The book appeals toscholarly audiences that come together through their work in engineering education and practice. The chapters of the book probes and access the meetings and conversations, and they explore new avenues for strengthening dialogues that transcend narrow disciplinary confines and divisions.
“The volume offers a rich collection of descriptive resources and theoretical tools that will be useful for researchers of engineering practices, and for those aiming to reshape the engineering lifeworld through new policies. The book depicts the current state of the art of the most visible SSH contributions to shaping engineering practices, as well as a map of research gaps and policy problems that still need to be explored.”
- Dr. Ir. Lavinia Marin, TU Delft, Electrical Engineering and Philosophy
Steen Hyldgaard Christensen is an adjunct associate professor at Aalborg University. He holds an MA in Danish Language and Literature and the History of Ideas from Aarhus University, and a PhD in engineering education research from Aalborg University. He is initiator, coordinator, lead editor, and co-author of several edited volumes on engineering, engineering education, and technology. He has published articles on engineering education, engineering epistemology, and higher education.
Anders Buch is a researcher at the Research Centre for Quality of Education, Profession Policy and Practice at VIA University College, Denmark. His empirical research area is focused on technological expert cultures, professions, and professionalism. His theoretical approach is primarily inspired by science & technology studies, practice theory and pragmatism. He has published articles and books on knowledge, learning, education, professionalism, and the professional development of engineers.
Eddie Conlon is a sociologist and works at TU Dublin. He has been working with engineering students for almost twenty years to help them explore the relationship between technology, engineering and society. His interests are in the sociology of work but recently he has published on engineering ethics and the integration of sustainability into engineering education.
Christelle Didier holds a BS in Electrochemistry Engineering, an MA in Education, and a PhD in Sociology from Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales (EHESS) Paris. She has published many articles on ethics and social responsibility in the engineering profession, and on the engineering profession’s values (from interviews and extensive surveys). Research areas: engineering ethics and values, including historical, cultural and gender perspective, sustainable development and corporate social responsibility, and social responsibility.
Carl Mitcham is Professor of Philosophy of Technology at Renmin University of China and of Liberal Arts and International Studies at the Colorado School of Mines. His work focuses on philosophy and policy issues related to science, technology, engineering, and society.
Mike Murphy is professor at TU Dublin. He is an electrical engineer with a PhD and a MEng degree from Stevens Institute of Technology in the United States, and a BSc (Eng) from Trinity College Dublin. He has held the positions of Academic Registrar, and Dean of the College of Engineering & Built Environment at DIT. He was President of the European Society for Engineering Education (SEFI) from 2017 to 2019. He is a Fellow of Engineers Ireland. His research interests are in the structure of engineering education.
