Engineered Violence: Confronting the Neutrality Problem and Violence in Engineering

Abstract

Engineering educators continue to challenge the social/technical dichotomy by framing engineering as a set of non-neutral activities. Faced with the historical realities that engineers are often “hired-guns” for the military interventions and capital accumulation, educators have sought to establish new canons for engineering ethics that are based on paradigms of peace and critically engaged pedagogies. We aim to situate nuanced understandings of violence—as understood by 21st century social movements—into the larger goal of reorienting engineering ethics for a more peaceful and socially just world. Literature is presented about particularly challenging what we identify as the “neutrality problem” in engineering education. We argue that theories of interpersonal and structural violence will better help engineers confront the neutrality problem in classrooms and workplaces. Our ultimate goal is to open up a larger research agenda on violence for engineering educators and practitioners.