Abstract
Disconnected from the social and historical roots of technological progress, technology transfer is embraced on a global level as a tangible solution to the third-world development ‘problem’. Left under-scrutinized is the dehumanizing potential of using technological progress as a gauge for civilizational advancement. The increasing globalization of the link between progress and technology is demonstrated in the case of China, which has accelerated its modernization efforts since the late 1970s. This article examines the ideological influence of progress on third-world development planning and implementation, questioning the validity of accelerating modernization in the context of long-term sustainability. On one hand, alternative models are required for envisioning social and environmental sustainability; on the other hand, strategies for intervention are needed to overcome deep-seated ideological beliefs about progress. Education represents a key site for producing and shaping ideological beliefs, and a potential ‘weak point’ for intervention is suggested.
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