Programme

We will explore the orgins of the advent of fossil fuels with the emergence of the age of coal, the shift to hydrocarbons, and the most recent trends towards alternative and renewable energy sources and "peak demand" for oil. This will be done by analysing great power politics, political and economic debates on energy, 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", "extractivism", will be discussed and informed by relevant literature (and possibly archival material), images and documentaries.

This course is taught in English.

Core Documentation

For each student:
- Bruce Pobodnik, "Global Energy Shifts. Fostering Sustainability in a Turbulent Age" (the complete book)

For "non frequentanti" (in addition to Pobodnik):
- Leonardo Maugeri, "The Age of Oil: The Mythology, History, and Future of the World's Most Controversial Resources" (the complete book)

For 8 credits (in addition to Pobonik):
- A choice of one text among the reference books

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 and documents provided before each class by the instructor in order to be able to participate actively in class discussions. Aula 18, tuesday and thursday (10-12)

Type of evaluation

- Each student will volunteer for one presentation. - Each student will prepare for the end of the class one essay (2500 words) that might also be on the same topic as his class presentation. - The final exam will be an oral exam focussing on the required readings, one of the optional readings, plus the class discussions. Exams: Presentation and class participation: 25% Essay: 25% Oral exam: 50% Total: 100%