Critical Theory of Engineering

The application of Critical Theory to engineering practice—examining how engineering is shaped by social forces, how it embeds values and power relations, and how it might serve liberation rather than domination. Critical Theory of Engineering asks: Who benefits from engineering projects? Whose needs are prioritized? How do engineering designs reflect and reinforce social hierarchies? What would engineering look like if it prioritized human flourishing over efficiency, profit, or control? Drawing on critical technology studies, it insists that engineering is never just technical—it's social, political, ethical. Understanding engineering requires understanding the society that shapes it—and imagining engineering otherwise requires imagining society otherwise.

"Engineering is just problem-solving, they say. Critical Theory of Engineering asks: solving whose problems? For whose benefit? The bridge connects some communities while displacing others; the algorithm optimizes for profit while reinforcing bias. Engineering isn't neutral; it's politics made concrete. Critical theory insists on asking: what values are built into the design? Who pays, who benefits, who's harmed? Engineering can serve liberation, but only if engineers ask those questions."

Critical Theory of Engineering by Abzugal Nammugal Enkigal March 4, 2026