ESS403 Exploring Energy Security: An Introduction

Faculty of Social Studies
Autumn 2019
Extent and Intensity
1/1/0. 8 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
Teacher(s)
doc. Mgr. Jan Osička, Ph.D. (lecturer)
doc. Mgr. Hedvika Koďousková, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
doc. Mgr. Jan Osička, Ph.D.
Department of International Relations and European Studies – Faculty of Social Studies
Contact Person: Olga Cídlová, DiS.
Timetable
Wed 18. 9. 10:00–11:40 U23, Wed 25. 9. 10:00–11:40 U23, Wed 2. 10. 10:00–11:40 U23, Wed 9. 10. 10:00–11:40 U23, Wed 16. 10. 10:00–11:40 P21, Wed 23. 10. 10:00–11:40 P21, Wed 30. 10. 10:00–11:40 P21, Wed 6. 11. 10:00–11:40 P21, Wed 13. 11. 10:00–11:40 P21, Wed 20. 11. 10:00–11:40 P21, Wed 27. 11. 10:00–11:40 P21, Wed 4. 12. 10:00–11:40 P21, Wed 11. 12. 10:00–11:40 U23
Prerequisites
! ESSn4003 Exploring Energy Security && !NOW( ESSn4003 Exploring Energy Security )
Ability to read, discuss, and write in academic English. Willingness to work independently during the course.
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is only offered to the students of the study fields the course is directly associated with.
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
The course provides a comprehensive overview of the main issues the contemporary energy security studies deal with. The course adopts a chronological approach, introducing each issue together with the historical context within which it emerged. Such approach enables the students who are new to the field to build on their existing knowledge of modern history and connect the energy security-related issues to historical events they are already familiar with. Among the issues covered by the course are for example the consolidation of energy industry after the World War II, (re-)emergence of energy geopolitics in 1970s, financialization of international energy transactions in 1980, broadening the scope of energy security by the social and environmental dimensions between 1970s and 1990s, or the ongoing energy transition towards a decarbonized economy.
Learning outcomes
After finishing the course the students shall be able to understand path-dependencies and trends within the existing energy systems, define the boundaries of the contemporary energy studies and think of the concept of energy security in analytical terms.
Syllabus
  • The course will cover the following topics:
  • Before 1945: The role of energy in shaping the western society (Jan Osička)
  • After 1945: The formation of the modern energy system (Jan Osička)
  • 1960s-1970s: The re-emergence of energy geopolitics (Jan Osička)
  • 1980s: Financialization of energy: Resource course (Jan Osička)
  • 1980s: Financialization of energy: Market liberalization (Filip Černoch)
  • 1980s-1990s: Social dimension of energy: Energy poverty (Jan Osička)
  • 1990s: The origins of sustainable energy policies (Filip Černoch)
  • 2000s: The development of low carbon energy sources (Filip Černoch)
  • 2000s: Towards decarbonized economy? The energy transition of the 21st Century (Filip Černoch)
  • 2030+: After fossil fuels: What will the energy transition mean for international relations? (Filip Černoch)
  • 2010s: Current trends in energy (Filip Černoch)
Literature
  • The Routledge handbook of energy security. Edited by Benjamin K. Sovacool. New York: Routledge, 2011, xviii, 436. ISBN 9780203834602. info
  • Kruyt, B., & van Vuuren, D. P., & de Vries, H. J. M., & Groenenberg, H. (2009). Indicators for energy security. Energy Policy, 37, pp. 2166-2181.
  • PASCAL, Carlos and Jonathan ELKIND. Energy Security: Economics, Politics, Strategie and Implications. Washington: Brookings Institution Press, 2009, 279 pp. info
  • Sovacool, B. K., & Mukherjee, I. (2011). Conceptualizing and measuring energy security: A synthesized approach. Energy, 36, pp. 5343-5355.
Teaching methods
(1) Students are expected to attend each lecture, with exceptions stated by the Masaryk University Study and Examination Regulations.
(2) Students are expected to read required readings for each lecture. Readings serve to broaden and deepen the spectrum of knowledge students acquire during lectures. Compulsory readings for the course are to be found in Study Materials → Learning Materials folder of the Information System or easily accessible via “e-resources” portal of the FSS Central library (http://www.knihovna.fss.muni.cz/eng/index.php).
(3) Students are further required to submit a short research paper and a written feedback on a paper by his/her fellow classmate. In case there is more than 10 students in the course, the papers and feedbacks will be prepared in groups.
(4) Students need to pass final exam based on given lectures and required readings. The lectures’ slides will be provided in the Study Materials folder of the Information System.
Assessment methods
Seminar paper; a feedback for a colleague's seminar paper; final exam.
Language of instruction
English
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
The course is taught annually.
Listed among pre-requisites of other courses
The course is also listed under the following terms Autumn 2014, Autumn 2015, Autumn 2016, Autumn 2017, Autumn 2018.
  • Enrolment Statistics (recent)
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