ESS420 U.S. Energy Policy: Development and Challenges

Faculty of Social Studies
Autumn 2018
Extent and Intensity
2/0/0. 6 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
Teacher(s)
Mgr. Martin Jirušek, Ph.D. (lecturer)
doc. Mgr. Filip Černoch, Ph.D. (assistant)
Guaranteed by
doc. Mgr. Filip Černoch, 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
Timetable
each odd Tuesday 12:00–13:40 M117 and each even Tuesday 12:00–13:40 U35
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is only offered to the students of the study fields the course is directly associated with.

The capacity limit for the course is 25 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 0/25, only registered: 0/25
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
The aim of the course is to acquaint students with the U.S. energy security, its historical development and recent challenges. Moreover, the course analyzes the role of the Middle East in the U.S. energy policy emphasizing its historical development. The importance of the USA as a major actor in the global energy markets is illustrated by characterizing its energy sector and development of its relations with important energy producers. Students will be familiarized with particular elements of US energy sector – oil, gas, coal, nuclear energy and the renewable energy resources. Attention is paid both to their historical background and recent issues. The curriculum will be further supplemented by the energy issues related to the area of the Middle East, which plays an important role in foreign energy policies of vast majority of developed countries including USA. After the completion of the course the students will be able to summarize historical development of the US energy sector and to critically assess its contemporary energy policy and to analyze US energy policy on the basis of gained comprehensive knowledge about history of the US energy sector, its components and foreign energy issues.
Learning outcomes
Students will be able to understand the US energy policy (with a special emphasis on the oil policy) and will be able to critically assess the current situation of the US as one of the most important actors on the global energy scene.
Syllabus
  • Course Structure Oil: Sector Development and Characteristic, Recent Issues and Challenges; Natural Gas: Sector Development and Characteristic, Recent Issues and Challenges; Electricity: Coal, Gas, Nuclear, and Renewable Resources; The U.S. Position on Global Energy Markets: Allies, Rivals and U.S. Foreign Energy Policy; Middle East and its Role in the US Energy Policy and Foreign Policy; Security of Maritime Oil Supplies; New Trends in the U.S. Energy Sector, Future Prospects.
Literature
  • GERI, Laurance R. and David E. MCNABB. Energy policy in the U.S. : politics, challenges, and prospects for change. Boca Raton: CRC Press, 2011, xxxvii, 29. ISBN 9781439841891. info
  • YERGIN, Daniel. The quest : energy, security and the remaking of the modern world. New York: Penguin Press, 2011, ix, 804. ISBN 9781594202834. info
  • STOKES, Doug and Sam RAPHAEL. Global energy security and American hegemony. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2010, 280 p. ISBN 9780801894978. info
  • YERGIN, Daniel. The prize : the epic quest for oil, money & power. New York: Free Press, 2009, xvii, 908. ISBN 9781439110126. info
  • BEAUBOUEF, Bruce Andre. The strategic petroleum reserve : U.S. energy security and oil politics, 1975-2005. 1st ed. College Station: Texas A&M University Press, 2007, xiv, 334. ISBN 9781585446001. URL info
  • RUTLEDGE, Ian. Addicted to oil : America's relentless drive for energy security. New York: I.B. Tauris, 2006, xxiii, 271. ISBN 1845113195. info
  • RANDALL, Stephen J. United States foreign oil policy since World War I : for profit and security. 2nd ed. Montreal: McGill-Queen's University Press, 2005, x, 416. ISBN 9780773529236. info
Teaching methods
Lectures, position papers, in-class discussions
Assessment methods
Position papers, mid-term test, final exam.
Language of instruction
English
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
Study Materials
The course is taught annually.
Listed among pre-requisites of other courses
The course is also listed under the following terms Autumn 2015, Autumn 2016, Autumn 2017, Autumn 2019.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Autumn 2018, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/fss/autumn2018/ESS420