Routledge Technology, Globalization, and Sustainable Development: Transforming the Industrial State

Technology, Globalization, and Sustainable Development offers a unified, transdisciplinary approach for transforming the industrial state in order to promote sustainable development. The authors present a deep analysis of the ways that industrial states – both developed and developing – are currently unsustainable and how economic and social welfare are related to the environment, to public health and safety, and to earning capacity and meaningful and rewarding employment. The authors offer multipurpose solutions to the sustainability challenge that integrate industrial development, employment, technology, environment, national and international law, trade, finance, and public and worker health and safety. The authors present a compelling wake-up call that warns of the collision course set between the current paths of continued growth and inevitable unsustainability in the world today. Offering clear examples and real solutions, this textbook illustrates how the driving forces that are currently promoting unsustainability can be refocused and redesigned to reverse course and improve the state of the world. This book is essential reading for those teaching and studying sustainable development and the critical roles of the economy, employment, and the environment. Review "I am excited to see a new edition of this classic in environmental studies. Technology, Globalization and Sustainable Development is an indispensable tool for teaching sustainability, and a must-read for everyone concerned with environment, development and the future." ―Giorgos Kallis, ICREA Research Professor, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Spain "Whilst the debates around the sustainability agenda continue to progress and evolve, Ashford and Hall provide a lucid and prescient analysis of sustainability at a crossroads, influenced by several inter-related crises: financial, investment, production, consumption, employment, and environmental. This comprehensively revised and updated new edition of Technology, Globalization and Sustainable Development recognizes the multi dimensional character of sustainability and follows a transdisciplinary approach which stands out both for its clarity of argument and practical insights into where the solutions can be found, pulling no punches in identifying where responsibility for action lies. A clearer manifesto for change would be hard to find." ― Richard Fenner, Professor of Engineering Sustainability, University of Cambridge, UK "This text provides a superb distillation of a wide range of ideas on social science topics that are of critical importance today. If you read this you may find that you can put aside several shelves worth of books you had been planning to read! With excellently chosen quotes and references the authors show the interlinkages between the workings of the economy and the natural world, and the need to rethink employment, both in relation to the meaning of work for the workers, and the possibility of replacing dirty industries and deadening, inequality-increasing hierarchies with cooperative, profit-sharing, green forms of production. They present ideas on the concept of essential needs, and the need for a cultural/values transformation away from the current conception of the good life. If they are correct―and I believe they are – that" building a truly sustainable future will necessarily involve new theories, new paradigms, and new policies" – this book provides a firm foundation for doing so." ― Neva Goodwin, Co-director, Global Development and Environment Institute, Tufts University, USA "Environmental degradation, climate change, deteriorating health, and inequity: the challenges are well-known but urgent and effective action is needed now. This new book by Ashford and Hall provides a deep analysis of the root causes; which is necessary to develop speedy but effective solutions. In addition to innovative technologies and effective governance the focus in thi