MEBn5040 Contemporary Trends I. - Energy Poverty

Faculty of Social Studies
Spring 2022
Extent and Intensity
1/1/0. 3 credit(s). Type of Completion: z (credit).
Teacher(s)
doc. Mgr. Hedvika Koďousková, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Mgr. Tereza Stašáková (seminar tutor)
Guaranteed by
doc. PhDr. Břetislav Dančák, Ph.D.
Department of International Relations and European Studies – Faculty of Social Studies
Contact Person: Olga Cídlová, DiS.
Supplier department: Department of International Relations and European Studies – Faculty of Social Studies
Timetable
Fri 18. 3. 10:00–11:40 U43, Fri 25. 3. 10:00–11:40 U43, Fri 1. 4. 10:00–11:40 U43, Fri 8. 4. 10:00–11:40 U43
Prerequisites (in Czech)
! MEB440 Contemporary Trends I. && !NOW( MEB440 Contemporary Trends I. )
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is only offered to the students of the study fields the course is directly associated with.

The capacity limit for the course is 20 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 0/20, only registered: 0/20
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
there are 6 fields of study the course is directly associated with, display
Course objectives
The course identifies and examines the most topical issues and trends in the energy sector. Outcomes and findings of recent research projects carried on both the Department and external institution will be presented in this session. On successful completion of the course, students will be informed about the development of the most important research issues and trends in the contemporary energy industry. The current topics are reflected in the changing guest lecturers in individual course semesters. Emphasis in this course is placed on the students' active participation in discussions with guest lecturers. The course can be combined with Contemporary Trends II.
Learning outcomes
Energy poverty is usually defined as “a lack of materially and socially necessitated level of domestic energy services” (Bouzarovski et al., 2015). It has been high on the EU energy agenda for past decades and has been gaining significance these days, especially in the context of rising energy prices, financial difficulties of some energy-services providers, and in the context of the energy transition. One of the reasons is a shared belief that low-carbon energy transition brings many opportunities and numerous risks for energy-poor and energy-vulnerable households. At the same time, energy poverty and energy vulnerability are hard to grasp for policymakers due to their multidimensional and cross-sectional character. Whereas the debate is well established in several EU member states, other countries still struggle to provide official definitions, policies, and measures to tackle the issue. This course address the latest concerns. Based on the successful attainment, students will comprehend the multidimensional nature of energy poverty. With the help of major theoretical approaches (holistic perspective, energy justice approach, and “bottom-up” perspectives), they will have an opportunity to gain deep knowledge of the issue´s causes, circumstances, and consequences. As such, students will understand how energy poverty fits into the overall EU energy strategies and examine current debates on the European and national levels. Last but not least, students will be able to critically assess current policies and measures and suggest their solutions and remedies. As such, they will strengthen their analytical and critical thinking. This course round hosts Tereza Stašáková. Tereza is a Ph.D. candidate at the faculty with special focus on the issue of "energy justice" on the EU level and works for the Czech Ministry of Industry and Trade.
Syllabus
  • Four sessions in four weeks (March 18 - April 8, 10-11.40 a.m.): 1) Energy poverty in the EU and the CEE countries: state of affairs; 2) Triangulating energy poverty: causes, circumstances, and consequences; 3) Energy poverty in the EU: focus on legislation and current debate (by Tereza Stašáková); 4) Student´s mini-workshop: energy poverty alleviation policies and measures.
Literature
  • BOUZAROVSKI, Stefan. Energy poverty : (dis)assembling Europe's infrastructural divide. Cham: Palgrave Macmillan, 2018, xiv, 117. ISBN 9783319887494. URL info
  • Energy poverty : global challenges and local solutions. Edited by Benjamin K. Sovacool - Jon Rozhon - Antoine Halff. First edition. Oxford: Oxford university press, 2014, xv, 459. ISBN 9780199682362. info
Teaching methods
Readings broaden and deepen the spectrum of knowledge the students get during lectures and seminars; lectures with internal teacher aim to provide general introduction to the issue; lessons with guest lecturer(s) aim to present findings from the field or specific case studies research outcomes; class discussions/mini-workshops strengthen students´ analytical as well as presentational skills as they are encouraged to choose and work with given case studies.
Assessment methods
Class attendance plus short answer (paragraph) to each class question; essay submitted app. 14 days after the course.
Language of instruction
English
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
Study Materials
The course is taught annually.
The course is also listed under the following terms Spring 2020, Spring 2021, Spring 2023, Spring 2024, Spring 2025.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Spring 2022, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/fss/spring2022/MEBn5040