Bridging the gap between engineering and the global world a case study of the coconut (coir) fiber industry in Kerala, India /

• Main Author: Bhatia, Shobha K. 1949-
• Other Authors: Smith, Jennifer L. 1968-
• Format: Electronic
• Language: English
• Published: San Rafael, Calif. (1537 Fourth Street, San Rafael, CA 94901 USA) : Morgan & Claypool Publishers, c2008.
• Series: Synthesis lectures on engineering, technology, and society ; #6.
• Subjects: Coir industry > India > Kerala.; Engineering > Social aspects.; Globalization.; Plant fibers > Industrial applications.; Sustainable engineering.
• Online Access: Abstract with links to full text
• Item Description: Part of: Synthesis digital library of engineering and computer science.; Series from website.; Title from PDF t.p. (viewed on Oct. 10, 2008).
• Physical Description: 1 electronic document (viii, 58 p. : ill. (some col.)) : digital file.; Also available in print.
• Format: Mode of access: World Wide Web.; System requirements: Adobe Acrobat reader.
• Bibliography: Includes bibliographical references (p. 53-56).
• ISBN: 1598296248 (electronic bk.); 9781598296242 (electronic bk.)
• ISSN: 1933-3461
• Access: Abstract freely available; full-text restricted to subscribers or individual document purchasers.; Available to subscribers only.

Over the last two decades, globalization has had a profound impact on how we view the world and its sustainability. One group of professionals that lies at the heart of sustainability is the engineers. Engineers are trained problem solvers, required to implement technical solutions and are at the forefront of the development of new technologies. Although engineers play a critical role in sustainability, traditional engineering programs typically only focus on the technocentric and ecocentric dimensions of sustainability, providing little training on the sociocentric dimension. With more and more interest in sustainability, it is becoming increasingly important to also provide engineers with an awareness of sociocentric issues and the necessary skills to address them. The aim of this book is to provide engineering educators with a real-life case study that can be brought into existing courses to help bridge the gap between engineering and the global world. The case study focuses on how our engineering study of different natural plant fibers for soil erosion control led us to small villages in Kerala, India, where marginalized women workers often stand waste deep in water several hours a day, clean and beat coconuts by hand, and separate and spin coconut (coir) fibers into yarn by hand, for very low wages. The case study provides insight into the three dimensions of sustainability (technocentric, ecocentric, and sociocentric) and how they come together in a typical engineering problem.