Critical Minerals Energy Sec

3 Credits · Level: Graduate, Undergraduate

This course offers an in-depth analysis of the pivotal role critical minerals play in shaping energy security, economic statecraft, and national security in a rapidly evolving global landscape. It examines the full spectrum of issues surrounding critical minerals, including their ownership, extraction, processing, and market dynamics, as well as the environmental impacts of their extraction and processing. The course addresses the increasing global energy demand tied to critical minerals, the geopolitics of resource distribution, and the strategic responses to dependency and vulnerabilities within supply chains. In addition, the course addresses the use of critical minerals in enabling advanced technologies, including their role in powering innovations such as renewable energy systems, electric vehicles, and advanced computing. Students will assess how these minerals underpin global technological progress and competitiveness, as well as their strategic importance in shaping economic and industrial futures. Further topics explored include the emerging frontier of space mining, with a focus on lunar resources, alongside the human rights, ethical considerations, and sustainability challenges associated with mining practices. Through a rigorous combination of case studies, scenario-based analyses, and policy evaluations, students will engage with how critical minerals underpin energy security, economic resilience, and international statecraft. By connecting these elements, the course equips students with the theoretical and practical tools needed to evaluate resource governance, craft strategic responses to resource dependencies, and develop innovative approaches to mineral diplomacy and global governance in an era of complex interdependence. Restrictions: Will add on once I have created the sections in CLSS