지속가능사회를 위한 적정기술의 적용과 성과: 라오스 사회를 대상으로

Abstract

Modern technology civilization is focused on technical growth for the short-term performance rather than organic growth for maturity. This phenomenon has brought an economic-social paradox such as ecological destruction, the gap between rich and poor, dehumanization etc. And it has led to the necessity of establishing new paradigms surrounding the modern civilization. Sustainable development is recognized as the limitation of earth's ecosystem, and has also accepted that all the growth has no choice but to follow the limits. At this point, sustainable development should give priority attention to the possibility of the coexistence of global society. Appropriate technology puts a priority goal to achieve a sustainable society through the development and application of human-friendly technology. Appropriate technology is requesting a responsible stance and attitude surrounding the use of technology. Therefore, it is bound to provoke special attention to the ethics of the technology. This paper is to explore the development and application of appropriate technology in Laos society, and is to search for the impact of the appropriate technology in Laos. In particular, we examined the production process and the core content of appropriate technology that was produced by college students, and we discussed the influence of appropriate technology in terms of sustainable society. Firstly, this paper examines whether the appropriate technology can give us some social-cultural implications in order to achieve the conditions for sustainable society. Secondly, we sought to expose the application of appropriate technology which was produced directly by college students in Laos’ local community. Thirdly, we reviewed whether the appropriate technology could have an impact on improving the quality of life of local people in Laos.