James Krane

Energy is credited with many contradictory properties. It is a curse that enables dictatorship and war, undermines the work ethic, and taints our environment. It is also the world's largest business and a chief ingredient of state power, stitching together disparate countries in webs of mutual dependence. Energy shapes our physical landscapes and personal habits, providing services that make us comfortable and secure, while producing waste that threatens this way of life. These are the areas where energy and politics intersect, the topics of concern to this course. Mutually Exclusive: Cannot register for GLBL 543 if student has credit for GLBL 541/POST 401/POST 501.

This course examines global trends in the production and use of energy, its impact on governance and the environment, and the dynamic forces shaping the sector: energy security, trade, and climate change. We examine the firm’s role in these areas, and the “above ground” risks arising from political, social and environmental forces. We also examine energy from the perspective of states, whether the big exporters like Russia and the Middle East, demand centers in Asia and Europe, or underdeveloped countries in Latin America and Africa seeking to leverage domestic reserves for export revenues and domestic development. Students will use academic theory and case discussion to highlight energy business challenges in countries with diverse political systems and wide-ranging levels of economic development.