Description

Societies across the globe are in dire need to decarbonize their energy systems and to switch to renewable energy production, a transformation generally known as the green transition. Whereas the motivation for this energy transition is particular – anthropogenic climate change – the transition from one energy source to another is not unique. Throughout history, societies have harvested different energies and transitioned from one energy carrier and system to another, such as from organic to fossil materials. In five thematic modules, students will learn about energy transitions through the lens of energy history and their wider implications for nature, societies, and cultures. They will explore energy transitions as a concept and as a political, social, and environmental reality. And they will learn about the importance of studying energy and energy transitions in history. This course will teach students that energy transitions not only are technological but also societal and cultural transformations.