Course Schedule and Catalog

Long Title: ENERGY POLICY

Department: Policy Studies

Grade Mode: Standard Letter

Language of Instruction: Taught in English

Course Type: Lecture

Credit Hours: 3

Description: Energy is credited with many contradictory properties. It is a curse that enables dictatorship and war, undermines the work ethic, and taints our environment. It is also the world's largest business and a chief ingredient of state power, stitching together disparate countries in webs of mutual dependence. Energy shapes our physical landscapes and personal habits, providing services that make us comfortable and secure, while producing waste that threatens this way of life. These are the areas where energy and politics intersect, the topics of concern to this course. We will discuss global trends in the production and use of energy, its impact on the environment, and the geopolitical issues around energy security and trade. We will explore theoretical debates about energy's influence on governance and development, and ponder the future roles of big exporters in the Middle East and growing centers of demand in Asia. We will study innovations and events that have reshaped the energy landscape in the United States and other big consumers, and look at policies that are shifting economies away from fossil fuels and nuclear power. We will also get involved in these debates, drafting recommendations intended to inform government policy. Graduate/Undergraduate Equivalency: POST 501. Mutually Exclusive: Cannot register for POST 401 if student has credit for POST 501.