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Engineers in Western Europe: Ascent—and Decline?

A Profession Torn Between Technology and Economy, 1850–1990, with Outlooks to the Present

Authors:

  • Presents the history of engineers in Western Europe since 1850

  • Focuses on the special role of engineers torn between Technology and Economy

  • Deals with engineers as a professional group instead of with one or a number of well-known path-breakers

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Softcover Book USD 139.99
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Hardcover Book USD 139.99
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Table of contents (17 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-xix
  2. From Guild Traditions to Profession

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 19-19
    2. How a Trade Became a Profession

      • Rolf Torstendahl
      Pages 21-49
    3. Teaching Technology

      • Rolf Torstendahl
      Pages 65-81
  3. Professional Consciousness: Engineers’ Associations (Approx. 1850–1930)

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 83-84
    2. Engineers Organise

      • Rolf Torstendahl
      Pages 85-105
  4. Knowledge, Careers, and Mobility: Engineers from Two Institutes in Numbers and Individually (1880–1990)

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 125-129
    2. Fundamentals of Engineers’ Career Mobility

      • Rolf Torstendahl
      Pages 131-142
    3. A Closer Look at Some Specific Career Groups

      • Rolf Torstendahl
      Pages 143-151
    4. Emigration, Immigration and Temporary Visits

      • Rolf Torstendahl
      Pages 153-164
    5. Variation of Career Paths

      • Rolf Torstendahl
      Pages 165-187
    6. Grades, Knowledge, and Career: Individual Cases

      • Rolf Torstendahl
      Pages 199-224
  5. A Peak of Engineers’ Industrial Power and New Competitors (Approx. 1930–1990)

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 225-225
    2. The Growth of Numbers of Engineers

      • Rolf Torstendahl
      Pages 243-253
    3. Organisational Ramification

      • Rolf Torstendahl
      Pages 255-265

About this book

In his book, pending between history and sociology, on engineers in thirteen countries of the western part of Europe, Professor Rolf Torstendahl approaches the development from around 1850 up to the present situation from different angles.

- One examines the educational patterns and the author shows how widely different types of formation of engineers existed in Britain, France and Germany in the early period. They were paradigmatic for other countries. Differences remain but patterns have gradually become similar.

- From another angle the author makes professional organisations of engineers a main object of study, and they vary from alumni associations to powerful lobby organisations.

- A third approach in the book is to examine engineers versus sociological theories of professionalism on the one hand and theories of managerialism on the other. In the last chapter the author also discusses topics like technocracy and the responsibility of engineers.


Authors and Affiliations

  • Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden

    Rolf Torstendahl

Bibliographic Information

  • Book Title: Engineers in Western Europe: Ascent—and Decline?

  • Book Subtitle: A Profession Torn Between Technology and Economy, 1850–1990, with Outlooks to the Present

  • Authors: Rolf Torstendahl

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-57438-3

  • Publisher: Springer Cham

  • eBook Packages: History, History (R0)

  • Copyright Information: The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021

  • Hardcover ISBN: 978-3-030-57437-6Published: 16 January 2021

  • Softcover ISBN: 978-3-030-57440-6Published: 16 January 2022

  • eBook ISBN: 978-3-030-57438-3Published: 15 January 2021

  • Edition Number: 1

  • Number of Pages: XIX, 333

  • Number of Illustrations: 5 b/w illustrations, 25 illustrations in colour

  • Topics: History of Technology

Buy it now

Buying options

eBook USD 109.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book USD 139.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book USD 139.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Other ways to access