Energy and Global Politics

How does global politics affect energy? How does energy affect global politics? These are the questions that guide this course, as students will be introduced to two fields at the same time and begin thinking about how economics, geography, science, and history relate to each other.

Energy – primarily fossil fuels like coal and oil – is a major reason why the world’s population and per capita GDP have increased six-fold since the Industrial Revolution. It is also largely responsible for climate change. Meanwhile, countries are both competing and cooperating to secure access to the energy that ensures economic stability and growth.

Starting with an introduction to international relations, including its history and current politics, the course shifts to energy, looking at its forms, uses, markets, and policies. It then builds up to learning about the relationships between energy, politics, and climate change, encouraging students to think creatively about clean energy policy and engineering ideas. We think Engineering, politics, MUN and Debate enthusiasts would love this program!