Content: The acceptance of renewable energy

Study materials: This week, there are two entangled topics ahead of us. A rather established issue of local opposition and acceptance and the recently emerged political backlash against climate policies. Start with local acceptance. The factors that affect it are nicely summarized in the attached texts by IEA Wind (parts III and IV) and N. M. A. Huijts et al. who focus on the psychology of local opposition. Next, at least skim through the text by Susana Batel who maps the development of the scientific reflection of local opposition (and try to absorb the good practice of doing literature reviews while at it).

Second, social acceptance. Start with the case study of the yellow vests movement - either in form of BBC Service podcast or as presented in Agora's slightly more elaborate analysis, and finish with Cornelia Fraune and Michele Knodt's introductory paper on sustainable energy transformations in an age of populism, post-truth politics, and local resistance.

Get ready: What features must "acceptable" policies or local solutions exhibit? Can you identify a few examples of successful policies or local solutions?

Presentation and class material: