IREb1009 Energy Politics

Faculty of Social Studies
Autumn 2024
Extent and Intensity
2/0/0. 6 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
Taught in person.
Teacher(s)
Ing. Mgr. Matěj Hrubý (lecturer)
Mgr. Anežka Konvalinová (lecturer)
doc. Mgr. Jan Osička, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Mgr. Tereza Stašáková (lecturer)
doc. Mgr. Filip Černoch, Ph.D. (alternate examiner)
Guaranteed by
doc. Mgr. Jan Osička, 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
Prerequisites
! SEMESTR ( 1 ) && ! SEMESTR ( 2 ) && ! IRE109 Intro to Energy Security && ! NOW ( IRE109 Intro to 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:
  • I. Energy, history and society: historical trends and path dependencies (2 sessions)
  • II. Political economy of energy: energy geopolitics, financialization of energy, energy poverty (3 sessions)
  • III. Contemporary energy policy challenges: integration with climate policy, development of renewable energy and low-carbon mobility, fossil fuels phase-out (6 sessions)
  • IV. Discussion (1 session)
Literature
  • The Routledge handbook of energy security. Edited by Benjamin K. Sovacool. New York: Routledge. xviii, 436. ISBN 9780203834602. 2011. 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. 279 pp. 2009. 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 recommended to attend the course sessions. These are intended to connect and give sense to the course materials.
(2) Students are expected to read the source materials before each lecture. The materials are specified in the interactive syllabus.
(3) Students are required to submit three questions or discussion topics by week 12 of the semester.
(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
Submission of questions or discussion topics, written exam.
Language of instruction
English
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
The course is taught annually.
The course is taught: every week.
Information on course enrolment limitations: This course is not available for exchange students.
The course is also listed under the following terms Autumn 2020, Autumn 2021, Autumn 2022, Autumn 2023.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Autumn 2024, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/fss/autumn2024/IREb1009