Politics of Energy Transi

This course examines the complex interplay between energy systems, political power, and societal transformation across historical periods—from the coal-powered dawn of the Industrial Revolution to the contemporary turn to renewables. Throughout, we focus on three interrelated threads: the political economy of energy regime shifts, the role of technological innovation in shaping these transitions, and the centrality of labor and labor politics in energy transitions. Themes and topics include: the relationship between fossil fuels and modern state formation; the centrality of energy resource control to geopolitical power; the history of electrification and its social impacts; the political dimensions of nuclear energy development; the rise of environmental movements; energy justice and democracy; corporate influence on energy policy, labor-environmental coalitions, and the contested politics of climate change mitigation. Though primarily historical in its focus, the course also draws on literature from science and technology studies, environmental sociology, political economy, energy studies, and climate policy analysis. Students will gain insight into how energy transitions both reflect and reshape political possibilities, with particular attention to recent debates surrounding the Green New Deal and other decarbonization strategies.