MEBn5010 Energy and Society: An Introduction

Faculty of Social Studies
Autumn 2023
Extent and Intensity
1/1/0. 5 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
Teacher(s)
doc. Mgr. Hedvika Koďousková, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
doc. Mgr. Hedvika Koďousková, 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
Mon 12:00–13:40 P24b
Prerequisites
! ESS403 Exploring Energy Security && !NOW( ESS403 Exploring Energy Security ) && ! ESSn4003 Exploring Energy Security && !NOW( ESSn4003 Exploring Energy Security )
Ability to read, write, and discuss in academic English. Willingness to work independently during the course.
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 20 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 11/20, only registered: 0/20
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
The aim of the course is to familiarise students with the basic facts and concepts that they will deal with during their studies (especially in regionally oriented courses), in order to increase their sensitivity and give them some preliminary understanding of the phenomena discussed. The course is inspired by the approach of Bridge et al. (2018), who see energy security as just one of the existing energy-society frameworks. In the course, the traditional view of energy systems as ensuring security and reliability of supply is broadened to include considerations of accessibility and affordability of energy services and environmental sustainability. From a normative perspective, it thus discusses desired energy systems as not only secure, but also accessible and sustainable, and considers how and by whom they should be owned and managed. It is also based on the assumption that social and material factors influence each other. On the one hand, available energy resources are transformed into energy services and used to meet different human needs. On the other hand, energy systems have a retroactive effect on the organisation of society. They contribute to the (re)production of economic and political power; they are part of economic strategies and foreign policies; they create new territories and identities; they connect and divide; they can lead to cooperation between different actors as well as to innumerable conflicts and negative phenomena, the most acute of which is climate change. Despite the embeddedness of energy systems in the ongoing functioning of society, students learn not to understand them as something given and constant. Energy systems can change and have changed many times in history, with direct consequences for our daily lives. The main mission of the course is to develop students' independent thinking and to encourage them to critically assess the context of the development of energy systems, their implications and transformations.
Learning outcomes
Upon completion, students should be able to understand cross-cutting issues, trends and developments in energy systems, define the boundaries of contemporary energy studies, develop analytical and critical thinking and argumentation skills.
Syllabus
  • The course will cover the following topics: Energy systems development: Resource Landscapes; Infrastructural Landscapes; Economic Landscapes. Energy systems implications: Energy Security; Energy Poverty; Energy Consumption; Energy and Environment; Energy Controversies and Conflicts. Energy systems transitions: Past Transitions; Future Transitions.
Literature
    required literature
  • BRIDGE, Gavin, Stewart BARR, Stefan BOUZAROVSKI, Michael J. BRADSHAW, Ed BROWN, Harriet BULKELEY and Gordon P. WALKER. Energy and society : a critical perspective. First published. London: Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group, 2018, xiv, 291. ISBN 9780415740746. info
  • BOUZAROVSKI, Stefan. Energy poverty : (dis)assembling Europe's infrastructural divide. Cham: Palgrave Macmillan, 2018, xiv, 117. ISBN 9783319887494. URL info
  • Energy poverty and vulnerability : a global perspective. Edited by Neil Simcock - Harriet Thomson - Saska Petrova - Stefan Bouzarovski. First published. London: Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group, 2018, xvii, 263. ISBN 9780367249441. info
  • The Oxford handbook of energy and society. Edited by Matthias Gross - Debra J. Davidson. New York: Oxford university press, 2018, xii, 583. ISBN 9780190633851. info
  • BRADSHAW, Michael J. Global energy dilemmas : energy security, globalization, and climate change. First published. Cambridge: Polity, 2014, xiii, 227. ISBN 9780745650654. info
Teaching methods
1) Students are expected to attend every lecture, with the exceptions specified in the Study and Examination Regulations of Masaryk University. 2) Students are expected to do the required reading for each lecture. The purpose of the readings is to broaden and deepen the knowledge acquired during the lectures. Required readings for the course can be found in the "Study Materials → Learning Materials" folder of the Information System or easily accessed through the "e-resources" portal of the FSS Central Library (http://www.knihovna.fss.muni.cz/eng/index.php). 3) Presented PowerPoint presentations of given lectures will be made available in the Study Materials folder of the Information System. 4) Students are required to prepare and submit selected preparation tasks for class, and then present and discuss their results with colleagues during the seminar part of the lectures. 5) Students must pass a final oral examination based on the lectures and required readings.
Assessment methods
Selected class preparations and discussions; oral exam.
Language of instruction
English
Further Comments
The course is taught annually.
Listed among pre-requisites of other courses
The course is also listed under the following terms Autumn 2020, Autumn 2021, Autumn 2022, Autumn 2024.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Autumn 2023, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/fss/autumn2023/MEBn5010