Developing a Global and Culturally Inclusive Vision of Engineering Ethics Education and Research

The teaching and research of engineering ethics are value-laden endeavors closely tied to the values of academic communities and engineering practice. At the core of this chapter is an appeal to academic leaders, teachers, and researchers to engage explicitly with the value-laden nature of engineering. The chapter expands the scope of established approaches to engineering ethics education by focusing on global and culturally inclusive practices. It is grounded in a reflection on what is meant by the term global and our positionality as researchers in this context. The chapter (1) identifies regional authorship patterns as well as the major institutional and national actors in engineering ethics education research, (2) maps the methods used to conduct research on global and culturally inclusive practices in engineering ethics education, and (3) surveys recent pedagogical and institutional practices to broaden engineering ethics education towards a global and culturally inclusive vision. Finally, the chapter puts forward a list of recommendations for engineering ethics education and research. Through this contribution, we strive to encourage aspirations and endeavors for the identification and incorporation of local contributions and culturally specific topics in the research and teaching of engineering ethics.