Global Energy and the American Dream

ANTHROPOLOGY 3472

This lecture course explores the historical, cultural, and political relationship between America and global energy, focusing on oil, coal, natural gas, biofuels, and alternatives. Through case studies at home and abroad, we examine how cultural, environmental, economic, and geopolitical processes are entangled with changing patterns of energy-related resource extraction, production, distribution, and use. America's changing position as global consumer and dreamer is linked to increasingly violent contests over energy abroad while our fuel-dependent dreams of boundless (oil) power give way to uncertainties and new possibilities of nation, nature, and the future. Assuming that technology and markets alone will not save us, what might a culturally, politically, and socially-minded inquiry contribute to understanding the past and future of global energy and the American dream?
Course Attributes: EN S; BU Eth; BU IS; AS LCD; AS SSC; FA SSC; AR SSC; FA CPSC

Section 01

Global Energy and the American Dream
INSTRUCTOR: Gustafson
View Course Listing - FL2022

This course satisfies

Concentration

Anthropology Global Health and Environment

Course Requirements

Anthropology Major Elective Environment Elective