Section outline

    • Lecture 12: Tuesday September 27

    • What is Design for Social Justice File

      URL/Ref: J. Leydens, J. Lucena, and D. Nieusma, What is Design for Social Justice, 2014 ASEE Annual Conference & Expositiion, Indianapolis, IN.

      Study Questions

      1. What is your conception of justice?  Social justice?
      2. What is the authors' basic definition of social justice, as applied to engineering?
      3. What are the four basic design strategies that the authors identify?  Can you give a 2-3 sentence summary of each one?
      4. Reflect on your own courses so far at UPRM.  Even if you are not in engineering, which strategy do you think is the most dominant?
      5. What is perhaps the most dangerous word in a typical engineering or science textbook assignment or problem?
      6. What are the seven social-justice criteria that the authors identify?  Can you give a 2-3 sentence summary of each one?
      7. Reflect on your own courses so far at UPRM.  Can you think of any examples in which a topic or assignment could be integrated with social justice criteria (even if that was not required or examined in your actual class)?
      8. What do the authors propose are the basic arguments for and against integrating social justice criteria into traditional engineering courses?  What might be other arguments?
    • Optional References Page

      These are some very important references that relate to engineering, technology, and justice.

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      Lecture 13: Thursday September 29

    • Videos/Resources Related to Mining Industry Page

      Study Questions

      1. Identify the various attitudes and values held by the native people; the mining companies; the government; foreign governments; international development agencies.
      2. How might "contextual listening" be applied to a mining engineering project?
      3. What further questions do you have that would help you to better understand the story and context of Berta Cáceres and many activists like her?

      For further thought:

      1. Where do the raw materials originate - and how are they extracted - for the myriad of products that we use?
      2. Has history repeated itself with the rise of industries of different epochs, such as cotton, steel, and gold?
    • Other Cases (optional) Page
    • Video (optional): A CEO's Perspective URL

      Interview with Peter Brabeck, former CEO of Nestlé: what does the interview reveal about his attitudes about technology and social issues?

      Compare: http://www.nestle.com/ask-nestle/human-rights/answers/nestle-chairman-peter-brabeck-letmathe-believes-water-is-a-human-right

      Compare: http://naturalsociety.com/nestle-ceo-water-not-human-right-should-be-privatized/

    • Some General Questions Page
      1. Read various narratives of a given issue and compare them.  Do "mainstream" documentaries about "things" or "technology" raise issues of justice?
      2. Pick your favorite large development project or man-made "wonder".  Investigate its history through the lens of justice.  Who benefited?  Who was exploited? What was its footprint? Etc.
      3. Reflect on your current courses or projects.  How might you bring some of the principles and criteria of justice to your work - even if it is not part of the "official" assignment?