FSS:MEBn5040 Energy Poverty - Course Information

MEBn5040 Energy Poverty

Extent and Intensity

1/1/0. 3 credit(s). Type of Completion: z (credit).

Teacher(s)

doc. Mgr. Hedvika Koďousková, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Mgr. et Mgr. Dominik David (seminar tutor)

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

Fri 21. 3. 10:00–11:40 U53, Fri 28. 3. 10:00–11:40 U53, Fri 4. 4. 10:00–11:40 U35, Fri 11. 4. 10:00–11:40 U35, Fri 25. 4. 10:00–11:40 U53

Prerequisites (in Czech)

! MEB440 Contemporary Trends I. && !NOW( MEB440 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 20 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 12/20, only registered: 0/20

fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with

there are 7 fields of study the course is directly associated with, display

Course objectives

Energy poverty is usually defined as 'the lack of materially and socially necessary levels of household energy services' (Bouzarovski et al., 2015).

It has been high on the EU energy agenda over the past decades and has recently gained importance, especially in the context of rising energy prices, energy crisis and the energy transition (e.g., with regard to the planned second round of emission allowances and social climate plans prepared by Member States to support vulnerable households and businesses). One of the reasons for this is the shared conviction that the low-carbon energy transition brings many opportunities and numerous risks for energy-poor and energy-vulnerable households.

At the same time, the multidimensional and cross-cutting nature of energy poverty and vulnerability makes it difficult for policy-makers to grasp. While the debate is well established in several EU Member States, other countries are still struggling to develop official definitions, policies and measures to address the issue.

This course addresses the most recent concerns. It explains the causes, circumstances and consequences of energy poverty using both the main theoretical frameworks (assemblage/vulnerability, energy justice and bottom-up approach) and empirical observations. The course guides students to find solutions to this pressing social problem. This round will be based on combination of classess of internal and external lectures.

This round, it is our great pleasure to host a lecture by Ana Stojilovska - Research Fellow in the Department of Government And Public Policy, Institute for Political Science, Centre for Social Sciences (Hungarian Academy of Sciences Centre of Excellence) in Budapest. Her research interests cover a wide range of topics including energy poverty, energy justice, energy democracy, energy citizenship, climate vulnerability, path dependency, technological and institutional lock-ins and many others.

We are also very honoured to welcome Dr. Roman Matoušek, Advisor to the Minister for Regional Development and expert on energy poverty in the Czech Republic.

Learning outcomes

On the basis of the successful achievement, the students will understand the multi-dimensional nature of energy poverty; as such, the students will understand how energy poverty fits into the overall energy strategies of the EU and examine the current debates at the European and national levels. Finally, students will be able to critically evaluate current policies and measures and propose solutions and remedies. In doing so, they will strengthen their analytical and critical thinking and argumentation skills.

Syllabus

• Five classes in five weeks (expected to run from Friday 21 March to Friday 11 April + one extra session to present final projects), combining lectures by internal and external lecturers with final presentations by the students: 1) Shining a light on energy poverty: Europe's unequal challenge; 2) Triangulating energy poverty: A comprehensive exploration of roots, realities, and repercussions; 3) External lecturer on pressing issues at EU level; 4) External lecturer on the situation in the Czech Republic; 5) Student presentations based on pair or group work (comparing the state of energy poverty and critically evaluating existing policies in selected countries).

Literature

• JIGLĂU, George, Anca SINEA, Ute DUBOIS a Philipp BIERMANN, ed. Perspectives on energy poverty in post-communist Europe. London: Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group, 2021. Routledge explorations in energy studies. ISBN 978-0-367-43052-8.
• 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 range of knowledge students receive in lectures and seminars; lectures with internal lecturers aim to provide a general introduction to the topic; lectures with visiting speakers aim to present findings from practice or specific case studies; workshops strengthen students' analytical, critical thinking and presentation skills.

Assessment methods

Class attendance plus short answer (paragraph) to each class question; pair or group work - practical project submitted and presented app. 14 days after the course (session 5).

Language of instruction

English

Further Comments

Study Materials
The course is taught annually.

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