Geopolitics of Energy

3 Credits · Level: Graduate

It has long been said that energy and geopolitics are synonymous – and not without reason. Every country’s economic engine is lineally dependent on energy sources and modern militaries could not possibly function without the ample availability of fuel. At the same time, very few countries have the means to secure their energy needs through locally available supplies; instead, enduring dependencies upon other countries have developed. Given energy’s strategic significance, supply systems for fuels and electricity are now seamlessly interwoven with foreign policy and global politics. Our global need for fossil fuels has also had a profound impact on climate change which is quickly changing the habitability of vast areas of the planet. Droughts, desertification, intolerable temperatures, flooding, etc. are now common events around the world. Millions of people are already migrating and hundreds of million more will be seeking to relocate to survive, all of which will cause intense geopolitical conflicts. This new course enables students to enhance their understanding and sharpen their analytical skills with respect to the complex relations between energy supply, energy markets, supply chains and international politics. We will explore the complexities of world energy and international energy relations, examining a wide spectrum of fossil fuels, alongside nuclear and renewable energies. We will also examine how the geopolitics of energy is not merely a matter for the great powers and how actors in the world’s smaller nations are just as active in their quest for power and security.