Geopolitics of Oil and Energy

Oil is the single most valuable commodity traded on global markets. This course is designed to introduce students to the international political economy and security dimensions of oil and energy. The course explores the industry’s many impacts on politics and economics, including: Dutch disease and the resource curse; the relationship between oil, authoritarianism, and civil wars; the role of the rentier state; the influence of oil on international warfare; global energy governance (e.g., OPEC); political differences within OPEC; US energy policy and energy security. The materials focus primarily on the political economy of oil-exporters, especially those in the Middle East.