Engineering, Social Sciences, and the Humanities: Have Their Conversations Come of Age?

Preface
Contents
Notes on Contributors
Chapter 1: General Introduction: The Rationale for Engaging in Conversations Between Engineering, Social Sciences, and the Humanities
	1.1 Why Are These Conversations Important?
	1.2 Where Are the Best Places/Arenas for These Conversations to Develop?
	1.3 What Are the Barriers to Successful Conversations?
	1.4 What Proposals Can Be Made for Deepening These Conversations for the Future?
	1.5 Conclusion
	References
Part I: Achievements Resulting from the Conversations
	Chapter 2: Conversations on Engineering Challenges
		2.1 Introduction
		2.2 Presidential Address
			2.2.1 Preamble
			2.2.2 Some Perspectives
			2.2.3 Technical Challenges
			2.2.4 Societal Challenges
			2.2.5 Engineering Education Challenges
			2.2.6 Conclusions
		2.3 Responses to Presidential Address from Four Scholars
			2.3.1 Comments by Diane Michelfelder
			2.3.2 Comments by Natasha McCarthy
			2.3.3 Comments by Charles Larkin
			2.3.4 Comments by Anders Buch
		2.4 Final Reflections
		References
	Chapter 3: Institutionalizing Engineering Education Research: Comparing Australia, China, and the United States
		3.1 Introduction
		3.2 Theoretical Framework: Institutional Theory and Organizational Fields
		3.3 Methodology: Comparative Case Study
		3.4 Findings
			3.4.1 Australia
				3.4.1.1 Prior Structures and Environment
				3.4.1.2 Innovation/Shock and Idea
				3.4.1.3 Political Will and Resources
				3.4.1.4 Belief System and Identity
				3.4.1.5 Conclusion: Institutionalization
			3.4.2 China
				3.4.2.1 Prior Structures and Environment
				3.4.2.2 Innovation/Shock and Idea
				3.4.2.3 Political Will and Resources
				3.4.2.4 Belief System and Identity
				3.4.2.5 Conclusion: Institutionalization
			3.4.3 United States
				3.4.3.1 Prior Structures and Environment
				3.4.3.2 Innovation/Shock and Idea
				3.4.3.3 Political Will and Resources
				3.4.3.4 Belief System and Identity
				3.4.3.5 Conclusion: Institutionalization
			3.4.4 Comparative Analysis
				3.4.4.1 Prior Structures and Environment
				3.4.4.2 Innovation/Shock and Idea
				3.4.4.3 Political Will and Resources
				3.4.4.4 Belief Systems and Identity
		3.5 Conclusion
		References
	Chapter 4: A Snapshot of How ‘Social’ Considerations Are Currently Being Interpreted and Addressed Within Engineering Education and Accreditation
		4.1 Introduction
		4.2 Methodology
		4.3 What Does ‘Social’ Mean in the Context of Engineering Education?
			4.3.1 Findings
			4.3.2 Discussion
		4.4 “We Don’t Have the Tools”
			4.4.1 Findings
			4.4.2 Discussion
		4.5 Experiences with Accreditation
			4.5.1 Findings
			4.5.2 Discussion
		4.6 Identities, Isolation, and Invisibility
			4.6.1 Findings
			4.6.2 Discussion
		4.7 Modes of Engineering Education and Curriculum Change
			4.7.1 Findings
			4.7.2 Discussion
		4.8 Conclusions and Recommendations
		References
Part II: Disagreements and Failures in Conversations
	Chapter 5: The C.P. Snow Controversy
		5.1 The Two Cultures
		5.2 Beyond Static Cultural Divides
		5.3 The Limits of Governance
		5.4 Building a Space for Interaction
		5.5 Summary and Conclusion
		References
	Chapter 6: Research on Engineers’ Work at a Turning Point?
		6.1 Introduction
		6.2 Studying Engineers as a Professional Group
			6.2.1 Engineers as “Cadres”
			6.2.2 Contributing to and Experiencing Rationalization Processes, Engineers Struggling with Management
		6.3 Delving into the Depths of Engineers’ Work Practices
			6.3.1 The Heterogeneity of Knowledge and Engineering Practices
			6.3.2 Dealing with Uncertainty
		6.4 The Move from Innovation to Maintenance
			6.4.1 Innovation, an “Impossible Job?”
			6.4.2 Maintenance and Repair
		6.5 Conclusion
		References
	Chapter 7: The Two Cultures of Engineering Education: Looking Back and Moving Forward
		7.1 Introduction
			7.1.1 Culture of Engineering Education
			7.1.2 Professional Formation of Engineering Students
		7.2 Research Methods
			7.2.1 Participant Selection and Demographics
			7.2.2 Data Collection Methods
			7.2.3 Integration of the Two Studies
		7.3 The Articulation of the Status and Perception of Engineering Ethics Education
			7.3.1 The Weight of Ethics in Engineering Education
			7.3.2 The Integration of Ethics in Engineering Education
				7.3.2.1 Ethics as an Add-on
				7.3.2.2 Unsystematic Implementation
			7.3.3 The Perceived Status of Ethics in Engineering Education
				7.3.3.1 Ethics Is a “Soft” Skill
				7.3.3.2 Ethics Is Not Core to Engineering
			7.3.4 Expertise of Educators Teaching Engineering Ethics
		7.4 Engineering Education: Need for Culture Change?
		7.5 Conclusion and Recommendations
		References
	Chapter 8: Bridging Engineering and Humanities at Techno-Anthropology
		8.1 Introduction
		8.2 Interdisciplinary Work
		8.3 Boundary Objects
		8.4 The Curriculum of Techno-Anthropology
		8.5 The Vision of TAPAR
		8.6 The Vision of TANT
		8.7 Discussion and Conclusion
		References
	Chapter 9: Reflections on the Use of Theory in Engineering Education Research: Interdisciplinary Challenges and Comparisons
		9.1 An Abandoned Conversation
		9.2 Example 1: Feminist Theories
		9.3 Example 2: Grounded Theories
		9.4 Example 3: Big-T Theory Versus Little-t Theory
		9.5 What Is at Stake?
		References
	Chapter 10: Social Justice at an Irish Practice-Based University: In or Out of Place?
		10.1 Introduction
		10.2 The Irish Context
			10.2.1 Irish Society and Challenges for Social Justice
			10.2.2 Engineering Education at an Irish Practice-Based University: Potential Enablers and Constraints for Social Justice Arising from Accreditation Criteria
		10.3 Research Strategy for Examining the Potential for Social Justice Education Within an Irish University
		10.4 Findings from Engineering Student Surveys
			10.4.1 Student Survey Findings
				10.4.1.1 Attitude to Greater Equality
				10.4.1.2 Environmental Justice
				10.4.1.3 Access to and Support in Engineering Education
				10.4.1.4 Differences Between Student Groups
					10.4.1.4.1 First and Fourth Year Students
					10.4.1.4.2 Gender
				10.4.1.5 Broadening Engineering Education
				10.4.1.6 After Graduation
		10.5 Findings from Semi-Structured Interviews with Program Chairs
			10.5.1 Social Justice as Desirable Within an Engineering Program
			10.5.2 Accreditation, Social Justice, and Ethics
			10.5.3 Engineering Epistemology and Dualisms
			10.5.4 How Can Change Happen?
		10.6 Conclusion
		References
	Chapter 11: Engineering Ethics, Social Theory and How We Might Do Better!
		11.1 Introduction
		11.2 Dualisms in Social Theory
		11.3 Engineering Ethics: The Dominant Approach
		11.4 From Micro to Macro
		11.5 Engineering Practice
		11.6 Moralizing Technology
		11.7 Agency and Structure
		11.8 Conclusion
		References
	Chapter 12: A Critique: Report of the NASEM Committee on Integrating Higher Education in the Arts, Humanities, Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
		12.1 Introduction
		12.2 The Report: Descriptions of Instances of Integration
			12.2.1 Design as a Step Toward Integration
			12.2.2 The Grand Challenges
			12.2.3 Science, Technology, and Society (STS)
			12.2.4 Ethics
			12.2.5 Integrative Degree Programs
			12.2.6 Co-curricular Experiences
			12.2.7 Summing Up
		12.3 About Evaluation
		12.4 Conclusion: On Collaboration
		References
Part III: Blind Spots and Uncovered Issues
	Chapter 13: A Social Science Research Agenda for Engineering Practice
		13.1 Introduction
		13.2 What We Know About Engineering Practice
			13.2.1 Engineering Practice Performance Issues
		13.3 Slowing Productivity Growth
			13.3.1 Disappointing Project Delivery Performances
			13.3.2 Misplaced Expectations, Values and Work Habits Among Engineering Graduates
			13.3.3 The Wealth and Productivity Gap
		13.4 Influence of Social Culture
			13.4.1 An Engineer Reshapes Culture
			13.4.2 Thinking Like an Expert
			13.4.3 Reshaping the Culture
		13.5 Discussion
		References
	Chapter 14: Globalization Is Necessary But Impossible: The Existential Contradictions Engineers (and Everyone Else) Are Ignoring
		14.1 Introduction: The Root of Globalization
		14.2 First Interlude: Capitalism
		14.3 Second Interlude: Existential Risk
		14.4 The Problematics of Globalization
		14.5 Authoritarian Globalization: The New Class Struggle
		14.6 Conclusion: We will Never Be Engineers
		References
	Chapter 15: Using a Sociocultural Perspective to Gain a Better Understanding of Barriers to Change in Engineering Education
		15.1 Introduction
		15.2 Cultures and Change
		15.3 Teaching and Learning Regimes
		15.4 How to Change a Discourse
		15.5 Methodology
			15.5.1 Context of the Study
		15.6 The Empirical Findings
			15.6.1 The Industry-Focused Regime: Resisting Loss of Industrial Relevance
			15.6.2 The Research-Focused Regime: Resisting External Influence on the Engineering Curriculum
			15.6.3 The Blended Regime: Aiming to Be Modern and up to Date
		15.7 Conclusion
			15.7.1 Teaching and Learning Regimes in Engineering Education
			15.7.2 Teaching and Learning Regimes as Barriers to Change
			15.7.3 How to Accomplish Change
			15.7.4 Final Comments
		References
	Chapter 16: Social Reproduction and Rankings in French High Level Engineering Schools
		16.1 Introduction
		16.2 Context
		16.3 Data
		16.4 Ranking Top Engineering Schools: Between Consensus and Dissensus
		16.5 The Criteria for Classifying Schools: A Mixture Between Individual and Social Discourses
		16.6 Family and School Socializations to Engineering School Hierarchies
		16.7 Using Quantified Information: The “Last Admitted Rank”
		16.8 The Low-Reliance on Media Rankings
		16.9 Towards an Analysis of the Social Differences in Classifying Engineering Schools
		16.10 Conclusion
		References
	Chapter 17: Engineering Myth in China and the United States
		17.1 Introduction
		17.2 A Rich Sense of Myth
		17.3 Myth and Engineering
		17.4 Engineering Myth in China: Yu the Great and the Three Gorges Dam
		17.5 Engineering Myth in the United States: Apollo and Space Exploration
		17.6 Conclusion
		References
	Chapter 18: The Need for a Recovery of Engineering
		18.1 Introduction
		18.2 Where to Start? The Primacy of the Practical
		18.3 The Way Forward: Inquiry
		18.4 Recovering Engineering
		18.5 Revitalizing the Conversation Between Science, the Social Sciences, and the Humanities via Engineering
		18.6 Prospects for Recovering Engineering
		References
	Chapter 19: Engineering with Social Sciences and Humanities; Necessary Partnerships in Facing Contemporary (Un)Sustainability Challenges?
		19.1 Mutual Complementarities: Engineering and the Social Sciences
		19.2 Collective Initiatives, Explorations and Investigations
			19.2.1 Transdisciplinary Conversations
			19.2.2 Future Imaginings
			19.2.3 Co-created Transitions
			19.2.4 Deep Institutional Innovation for Sustainability
			19.2.5 Curricular Transformation
			19.2.6 Institutional Leadership
			19.2.7 Research Innovation
		19.3 Mutually Enhancing Value Through Different Types of Knowledge
			19.3.1 Sociological Perspectives
			19.3.2 Enhancing Engineering Practice
		19.4 Educational Imperatives, Implications and Opportunities
			19.4.1 The Value(s) of a University Education
			19.4.2 The University as Change Leader
			19.4.3 Internal Tensions and Conflicting Paradigms
			19.4.4 Hope and Opportunities for Productive Engagement
			19.4.5 Modelling the World; A Common and Collaborative Endeavor
			19.4.6 Historical Models; The Model Village
			19.4.7 Contemporary Model Eco-Villages; Future Insights?
		19.5 Conclusion
		References
	Chapter 20: What’s Happening to Organs? Philosophical Insights Into Tissue and Organ Engineering
		20.1 Introduction
		20.2 Tissue and Organ Engineering Under Fire: Mechanistic Reductionism, Commodification of the Body and Human Enhancement
		20.3 Beyond Mechanistic Reductionism: Historical Collusion Between Tissue and Organ Engineering and Human Enhancement in Alexis Carrel’s Works
		20.4 From Descartes to Aristotle: Another Picture of the Philosophical Statements that Underlie Tissue and Organ Engineering. Heidegger’s Reflections on Organs
		20.5 Organs as Instruments
		20.6 Conclusion
		References
	Chapter 21: On Configurations of Knowledge in Engineering
		21.1 Introduction
		21.2 The Problem of Knowledge in Engineering
		21.3 Design Science Research
		21.4 Configurations and Reconfigurations of Engineering Knowledge
		21.5 Conclusion and Issues for Further Research
		References
Index