The course will focus on the political history of energy and on the environmental consequences of the emergence of different energy regimes from the beginning of the 20th century to the present time.
teacher profile teaching materials
Questions and concepts such as “resource curse”, “conservationism”, “Dutch disease”, “limits of growth”, "peak oil", "sustainable development", will be discussed and informed by relevant literature (and possibly archival material), images and documentaries.
This course is taught in English.
- Richard Rodhes, "Energy: a Human History" (the complete book)
- Leonardo Maugeri, "The Age of Oil: The Mythology, History, and Future of the World's Most Controversial Resources" (the complete book)
Mutuazione: 21810139 HISTORY OF ENERGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT in Relazioni internazionali LM-52 N0 (A-Z) GARAVINI GIULIANO
Programme
We will explore the orgins of the advent of fossil fuels with the emergence of the age of coal, to the age of hydrocarbons, to the most recent trends towards alternative energy sources and "peak demand" for oil. This will be done by analysing great power politics, the expansion of Fordism and consumerism, the role of multinational oil companies, the pressures for decolonization and the emergence of the environmentalist debate from the 1970s up to the more recent debate on the "anthropocene".Questions and concepts such as “resource curse”, “conservationism”, “Dutch disease”, “limits of growth”, "peak oil", "sustainable development", will be discussed and informed by relevant literature (and possibly archival material), images and documentaries.
This course is taught in English.
Core Documentation
Required textbooks:- Richard Rodhes, "Energy: a Human History" (the complete book)
- Leonardo Maugeri, "The Age of Oil: The Mythology, History, and Future of the World's Most Controversial Resources" (the complete book)
Type of delivery of the course
The class will include a combination of lectures and student presentations. Students might be assigned to lead the discussions based on assigned readings. Every student is expected to work on the readings, the documents and to watch the videos provided before each class by the instructor in order to be able to participate actively in class discussions.Attendance
Attendance is not mandatory but highly recommended.Type of evaluation
- Each student will volunteer for one presentation. - Each student will prepare an essay (2500 words) that might also be on the same topic as his class presentation. - The midterm will focus on the required readings, plus the topics that have been discussed in class up to the date of the midterm. The final exam will be an oral exam focussing on the required readings, one of the optional readings, plus the class discussions. Exams: one written midterm and one oral final (25 % each) 50% Essay 25% Class presentation & participation 25% Total 100%