MEB440 Contemporary Trends I. - Energy Poverty

Faculty of Social Studies
Spring 2019
Extent and Intensity
0/2/0. 3 credit(s). Type of Completion: z (credit).
Teacher(s)
doc. Mgr. Hedvika Koďousková, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Mgr. et Mgr. Veronika Velička Zapletalová, Ph.D. (lecturer)
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
Fri 15. 3. 10:00–11:40 exP24, Fri 22. 3. 8:00–11:40 U33, Fri 29. 3. 10:00–11:40 U32, Fri 5. 4. 8:00–11:40 M117
  • Timetable of Seminar Groups:
MEB440/CZ: No timetable has been entered into IS.
MEB440/HU: No timetable has been entered into IS.
MEB440/B: No timetable has been entered into IS.
Prerequisites (in Czech)
! ESS415 Contemporary Trends I.
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 course identifies and examines the most topical issues and trends in the energy sector. Outcomes and findings of recent research projects carried on both the Department and external institution will be presented in this session. On successful completion of the course, students will be informed about the development of the most important research issues and trends in the contemporary energy industry. The current topics are reflected in the changing guest lecturers in individual course semesters. Emphasis in this course is placed on the students' active participation in discussions with guest lecturers. The course can be combined with Contemporary Trends II.
Learning outcomes
The aim of the course is to present students latest concepts (energy justice, energy poverty, energy vulnerability…), which have been changing ways we think about energy issues. Various forms of “domestic energy deprivation”, which occur in the world, will be discussed. Although, in its most general sense, “energy poverty” could be described as a matter of “access” in developing countries vs. “affordability” in developed world, it encompasses various regional, national and local specifities. By attending the course, the students will be able to explain, what is it about; understand the most common causes and consequences of energy poverty with its health, economic, social and other implications; and evaluate energy poverty alleviation policies and measures through critical reflection of facilitating factors and barriers. As such, the students conceptual and analytical skills will be strengthened. The student´s workshop (held at the end of the course) serves as an opportunity to apply acquired theoretical knowledge to a given case study; increase his/her presentational skills; and confront his/her ideas in a debate.
Syllabus
  • Exact times and dates for the spring semester 2019 will be specified. Four sessions in four weeks are expected: 1) Is there a right to energy? Energy justice, energy poverty and energy vulnerability 2) Guest lecture - Providing modern sources of energy in developing countries: the role of social and cultural factors; 3) Energy poverty in the EU and the CEE countries; 4) Student´s workshop - Energy poverty alleviation policies and measures: case studies from the region
Literature
  • BOUZAROVSKI, Stefan. Energy poverty : (dis)assembling Europe's infrastructural divide. Cham: Palgrave Macmillan, 2018, xiv, 117. ISBN 9783319887494. URL info
  • Energy poverty : global challenges and local solutions. Edited by Benjamin K. Sovacool - Jon Rozhon - Antoine Halff. First edition. Oxford: Oxford university press, 2014, xv, 459. ISBN 9780199682362. info
Teaching methods
Readings broaden and deepen the spectrum of knowledge the students get during lectures and seminars; lectures with internal teacher aim to provide basic introduction to the issue; lessons with guest lecturers aim to present the students findings from the field or specific case studies research outcomes; class discussions/workshop strengthen students´ analytical as well as presentational skills as they are encouraged to choose and work with a given case study.
Assessment methods
Class attendance; joint seminar paper (case study) submitted before and presented during workshop (preparation for and active participation required).
Language of instruction
English
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
The course is taught annually.
Listed among pre-requisites of other courses
The course is also listed under the following terms Spring 2017, Spring 2018.
  • Enrolment Statistics (recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/fss/spring2019/MEB440