Energy Geopolitics Course

Course Philosophy

Course Development Philosophy

The course is designed according to Martin Zubko’s teaching philosophy, expressed in the principle that:
“A supreme principle of teaching is to ignite curiosity that leads to purposeful research, resulting in discoveries that bring meaning.” 

This approach informs the course structure, where intellectual curiosity serves as the starting point for research-driven learning. Through engagement with theoretical debates and independent investigation, students are encouraged to develop original insights and contribute to deeper understanding of international politics. 

“With each course, my aim has been to develop a research-driven intellectual workshop in which teaching is built around two complementary dimensions: mentoring and coaching. I recognise the limitations of my own knowledge in comparison with the expanding capabilities of artificial intelligence systems; however, the central purpose of my work lies elsewhere — in cultivating individuals who can navigate a complex and often chaotic information environment shaped by truth, misinformation, and partial truths.

The essential task is to develop students’ capacity for independent judgement: the ability to critically evaluate information, formulate meaningful questions, and produce rigorous analysis. Their own intellectual curiosity and judgement remain the primary sources of inquiry, enabling them to discover new perspectives, identify emerging patterns, and contribute original insights to the understanding of complex phenomena.”
— Martin Zubko

Core Principles

Three core principles guide this entire curriculum: 

1. Material Foundations – Energy systems are embedded within geographical, technological, and infrastructural realities. Resource endowments, production capacities, transport networks, and industrial configurations shape state strategies, economic relationships, and geopolitical vulnerabilities, but they never dictate political outcomes.

2. Analytical Pluralism – No single theoretical framework fully explains the complexity of global energy politics. Geopolitical, geoeconomic, institutional, political-economic, and critical approaches each illuminate different dimensions of energy power and each carries its own limitations and blind spots.

3. Epistemological Reflexivity – Energy security and geopolitical analysis are shaped by specific historical experiences, geographical positions, and strategic interests. Interpretations of dependence, vulnerability, and transition reflect the perspectives of producers, consumers, exporting states, importing states, and different regions of the global system.

Energy sits at the centre of international order. It shapes state capabilities, economic relationships, strategic dependencies, and the patterns of geopolitical competition. The course analyses how energy resources, infrastructures, markets, and institutions shape patterns of power, vulnerability, and cooperation. It examines the interaction between traditional hydrocarbon geopolitics and emerging challenges including energy transition, critical minerals competition, supply-chain restructuring, and strategic rivalry among established and emerging powers.

Energy politics is inherently multi-causal. Students evaluate competing explanations of energy security and geopolitical change while considering different perspectives, including producer and consumer interests, Global North and Global South experiences, and hydrocarbon-era versus transition-era strategic priorities.

Course Content Structure

This 12-week course is organised around a multi-level analytical framework that examines energy as a foundation of geopolitical power. The course moves from theoretical approaches to energy politics and the role of resources, infrastructures, and markets, through the study of strategic competition over hydrocarbons, critical minerals, and emerging energy technologies. The final modules integrate these perspectives by focusing on regional energy dynamics in Eurasia and Africa, as well as the future transformation of global energy systems.

MODULE I – Foundations of Energy Geopolitics

Week 1: Energy Systems, Power, and Vulnerability

Week 2: Theoretical Approaches to Energy Geopolitics

MODULE II – Hydrocarbon Geopolitics and Traditional Power Structures

Week 3: Oil Markets, Petrostates, and Resource Power

Week 4: Pipeline Politics and Critical Infrastructure

Week 5: Natural Gas, LNG, and the Transformation of Gas Geopolitics

MODULE III – The New Geopolitics of the Energy Transition

Week 6: Critical Minerals and Strategic Supply Dependencies

Week 7: Renewable Technologies, Electricity Grids, and Energy Power

Week 8: Energy Security Strategies of Major Importers

MODULE IV – Regional Theatres and Great Power Energy Strategies

Week 9: Gulf Energy Geopolitics and the Future of Producer States

Week 10: Russia, Central Asia, and Eurasian Energy Corridors

Week 11: China’s Global Energy Strategy and Resource Networks

Week 12: Energy Futures, Transition, and Climate Security

Integrated Learning Stages

Each week of this 12-week course is organised around three integrated learning stages designed to develop theoretical understanding, geopolitical analytical capability, and critical evaluation of energy systems and strategic competition.

1. Preparation: Engaging with Core Concepts and Debates
   Before each session, students engage with assigned readings, policy documents, energy data, and empirical materials to familiarise themselves with key concepts, theoretical approaches, and contemporary debates in energy geopolitics. Preparation provides the foundation for informed discussion and analytical assessment of energy-related challenges.

2. Discussion-Based Lecture: Analysing Theories Through Debate and Application
   Class sessions combine theoretical explanation with structured discussion. Lectures are not one-way knowledge transmission. Students examine competing interpretations of energy power, evaluate alternative explanations, and apply analytical frameworks to cases involving resources, infrastructure, markets, and geopolitical competition.

3. Research Lab: Developing Analytical Skills Through Reflexive Inquiry
   The research lab provides practical training in energy geopolitical analysis. Students work with energy statistics, maps, policy documents, infrastructure data, and strategic assessments to analyse dependencies, evaluate vulnerabilities, compare national strategies, and identify the assumptions and limitations underlying different interpretations of energy security.

Foundational Texts

• Balmaceda, Margarita M. 2021. Russian Energy Chains: The Remaking of Technopolitics from Siberia to Ukraine to the European Union. Columbia University Press.

• Epstein, Alex. 2022. Fossil Future: Why Global Human Flourishing Requires More Oil, Coal, and Natural Gas—Not Less. Portfolio.

• Gustafson, Thane. 2021. Klimat: Russia in the Age of Climate Change. Harvard University Press.

• Högselius, Per. 2019. Energy and Geopolitics. Routledge.

• Scholten, Daniel, ed. 2023. Handbook on the Geopolitics of the Energy Transition. Edward Elgar Publishing.

• Sivaram, Varun. 2018. Taming the Sun: Innovations to Harness Solar Energy and Power the Planet. MIT Press.

• Smil, Vaclav. 2017. Energy and Civilization: A History. 2nd ed. MIT Press.

• Yergin, Daniel. 2020. The New Map: Energy, Climate, and the Clash of Nations. Penguin.

Research articles do not appear in the bibliography above. This is intentional. Each week, students are expected to identify a peer-reviewed article relevant to that week’s topic, bring it to the seminar, and share it with the group. The lecturer contributes selections alongside the class. This practice develops independent literature-searching habits, exposes the seminar to a wider range of scholarly perspectives than any fixed reading list could provide, and keeps the course in sustained contact with current debates in the field.

Learning Outcomes

1. Apply multi-causal and multi-theoretical analysis to energy geopolitics: Evaluate contemporary energy developments by integrating geographical, technological, economic, and political factors with competing theoretical perspectives, including geopolitics, geoeconomics, institutional approaches, and critical perspectives, and assess what each perspective explains well and where it falls short.

2. Analyse energy systems using empirical and analytical methods: Critically evaluate energy strategies, infrastructure projects, market developments, and policy documents by applying supply-chain mapping, infrastructure analysis, energy dependency assessment, and maritime chokepoint analysis to explain patterns of power, interdependence, and vulnerability.

3. Evaluate competing perspectives on energy security and transition: Examine how producer states, consumer states, transit countries, and Global South actors define energy security differently, while critically assessing the assumptions underpinning both hydrocarbon-based and energy transition strategies.

4. Produce evidence-based energy geopolitical assessments: Develop rigorous analyses of contemporary energy challenges by integrating empirical evidence, theoretical explanation, comparative evaluation, and strategic assessment to produce clear, well-supported policy and risk analyses.

Assessment

Graded Assessment Components

Assessment 1: Energy Strategy and Infrastructure Analysis (35% | 2,500 words)
Select one contemporary energy policy, infrastructure project, or strategic energy dispute. Analyse its geopolitical significance by: 

• establishing the empirical context  

• identifying key actors and their interests  

• applying competing theoretical perspectives  

• evaluating patterns of power, dependency, and vulnerability

Conclude with a critical reflection on how different actors define energy security.  

Submission Deadline: End of Week 7.

Assessment 2: Capstone Energy Risk and Foresight Report (55% | 5,000–6,000 words)
Produce a geopolitical risk and strategic foresight report on an approved contemporary energy challenge or infrastructure flashpoint. The report must: 

• integrate empirical evidence and theoretical analysis  

• assess competing actor interests  

• develop evidence-based future scenarios

Demonstrate critical engagement with alternative perspectives on energy security and the evolving global energy order.  

Submission Deadline: Sunday of Week 14 (Formal Assessment Period, following the conclusion of Week 12 teaching).

Assessment 3: Participation and Analytical Engagement (10% | Ongoing)
Participation is assessed throughout the semester based on the quality of students’ engagement with the analytical objectives of the course. Assessment considers contributions to Discussion-Based Lectures and Research Labs. Students are expected to demonstrate the ability to apply theoretical concepts to empirical cases, engage critically with different interpretations, use evidence effectively, and respond constructively to alternative arguments. Attendance is required. Marks are awarded for the quality of intellectual engagement.

Grading Scale (%) and Performance Standards

• 80–100: Exceptional
  Outstanding analytical ability, originality, and intellectual independence. The work develops a sophisticated, tightly integrated argument that combines theory, evidence, and method with exceptional precision. It critically evaluates competing explanations, exposes underlying assumptions and limitations, and produces insights that approach professional analytical standards.

• 70–79: Excellent
  Advanced analytical skills and strong theoretical understanding. The work presents a clear, well-supported argument and engages critically with relevant debates and alternative explanations. Minor limitations may remain in originality, depth, or full integration of perspectives.

• 60–69: Good
  Solid command of key concepts, literature, and analytical approaches. Theories are applied appropriately and the argument is coherent. Limitations typically appear in originality, critical depth, methodological sophistication, or engagement with competing interpretations.

• 50–59: Satisfactory
  Adequate understanding of core concepts and empirical material. The work engages with the course content but remains largely descriptive or summary-based, with limited analytical depth, theoretical application, or critical evaluation.

• 40–49: Marginal Pass
  Basic understanding of course requirements is present, but analysis is underdeveloped, heavily descriptive, and insufficiently supported by evidence or theoretical reasoning.

• Below 40: Fail
  Does not demonstrate sufficient understanding of key concepts, analytical approaches, or evidence. The work lacks a coherent argument and fails to meet minimum academic standards.

Submission, Formatting Requirements and Academic Integrity

• All written work must be submitted as a PDF file.

• Use 12-point Aptos or Arial font. Number all pages. On the first page include your name, student number, course name, assignment title, and word count. A separate cover page is not required.

• The stated word count is a guide. Stay within 10% above or below it. The word count includes the main text and in-text citations, but excludes the reference list, tables, figures, and appendices.

• Use the Chicago Author-Date citation style throughout. Examples: (Yergin 2020) or Yergin (2020) argues that… For direct quotations include the page number: (Yergin 2020, 47). Place the reference list at the end, organised alphabetically by surname. Footnotes may be used sparingly for substantive clarifications only; do not use them for routine citations.

• Formal policies regarding academic integrity and the use of AI tools vary by institution and will apply in full. Beyond these formal requirements lies a deeper educational principle: the purpose of assessment is not merely to demonstrate completion of tasks, but to develop genuine understanding, analytical capability, and intellectual independence. A qualification represents not only the work submitted, but the knowledge and skills that work is designed to cultivate. This course is built on meaningful engagement with scholarship, practitioners, and professional perspectives that extend beyond the formal syllabus. The value students gain depends on a shared commitment to curiosity, preparation, critical thinking, and responsible academic practice.

Course Structure and Content

MODULE I – Foundations of Energy Geopolitics

Week 1: Energy Systems, Power, and Vulnerability

Core Question
How has control over energy systems shaped the distribution of power, dependence, and vulnerability in international politics?

Preparation
The historical development of global energy systems; the transition from coal to oil and gas; concepts of energy security, strategic dependence, and energy sovereignty; the relationship between resources, infrastructure, markets, and state capabilities.

Discussion-Based Lecture
Energy as a foundation of modern economic and political order; examining how energy systems create both strategic advantages and vulnerabilities for producers, consumers, and transit states. The session introduces competing understandings of energy security and explores why different actors define security according to their geographical position and strategic interests.

Research Lab
Applying the energy geopolitical analysis framework to a historical energy disruption, such as the 1973 oil embargo or the 2022 European pipeline supply reductions, to identify actors, dependencies, strategic responses, and competing explanations.

Additional Literature 

• Dodds, Klaus. 2019. Geopolitics: A Very Short Introduction. 3rd ed. Oxford University Press.

• Flint, Colin. 2021. Introduction to Geopolitics. 4th ed. Routledge.

• Kaplan, Robert D. 2012. The Revenge of Geography: What the Map Tells Us about Coming Conflicts and the Battle against Fate. Random House.

• Smil, Vaclav. 2017. Energy and Civilization: A History. MIT Press.

• Van de Graaf, Thijs, and Benjamin K. Sovacool. 2020. Global Energy Politics. Polity.

Week 2: Theoretical Approaches to Energy Geopolitics

Core Question
How do competing theoretical perspectives explain the relationship between energy resources, international power, and geopolitical competition?

Preparation
Realist approaches to resource competition and energy security; liberal institutionalist approaches to energy governance; geoeconomic perspectives on strategic dependencies and interdependence; critical and postcolonial approaches to extraction, inequality, and global energy structures.

Discussion-Based Lecture
Comparing theoretical explanations of energy power and vulnerability. The session examines how different frameworks prioritise resources, markets, institutions, infrastructure, and historical inequalities while revealing different interpretations of the same geopolitical developments.

Research Lab
Applying two competing theoretical approaches to a contemporary energy dispute, such as European energy dependence, resource nationalism, or critical mineral competition, and evaluating the explanatory strengths and limitations of each perspective.

Additional Literature 

• Bridge, Gavin, and Philippe Le Billon. 2013. Oil. Polity.

• De, Van, and Benjamin K Sovacool. 2020. Global Energy Politics. Polity.

• Goldthau, Andreas, and Jan Martin Witte, eds. 2010. Global Energy Governance: The New Rules of the Game. Brookings Institution Press.

• Högselius, Per. 2019. Energy and Geopolitics. Routledge.

• Mitchell, Timothy. 2011. Carbon Democracy: Political Power in the Age of Oil. Verso.

MODULE II – Hydrocarbon Geopolitics and Traditional Power Structures

Week 3: Oil Markets, Petrostates, and Resource Power

Core Question
To what extent does control over oil resources continue to shape state power and international political outcomes?

Preparation
The political economy of oil; OPEC and OPEC+ coordination; resource rents and rentier states; oil dependence; the relationship between petroleum markets and foreign policy behaviour.

Discussion-Based Lecture
Examining how oil wealth creates both strategic advantages and structural vulnerabilities. The session analyses whether petroleum resources generate durable geopolitical influence or produce economic and institutional dependencies.

Research Lab
Assessing a recent OPEC+ production decision or major oil market disruption to identify actors, strategic objectives, market consequences, and geopolitical implications.

Additional Literature 

• Belyi, Andrei V., and Kari Talus, eds. 2015. States and Markets in Hydrocarbon Sectors. Palgrave Macmillan.

• Colgan, Jeff D. 2013. Petro-Aggression: When Oil Causes War. Cambridge University Press.

• Krane, Jim. 2019. Energy Kingdoms: Oil and Political Survival in the Persian Gulf. Columbia University Press.

• Ross, Michael L. 2012. The Oil Curse: How Petroleum Wealth Shapes the Development of Nations. Princeton University Press.

• Yergin, Daniel. 2020. The New Map: Energy, Climate, and the Clash of Nations. Penguin.

Week 4: Pipeline Politics and Critical Infrastructure

Core Question
How do energy infrastructure networks create strategic leverage and geopolitical vulnerability?

Preparation
Pipeline geography; transit states; infrastructure dependence; energy corridors; the relationship between physical connectivity and political influence.

Discussion-Based Lecture
Analysing pipelines as geopolitical infrastructures through cases such as Nord Stream, TurkStream, and Eurasian energy corridors. The session examines how infrastructure can create asymmetric relationships between producers, consumers, and transit states.

Research Lab
Mapping a major transnational pipeline network to identify infrastructure dependencies, strategic vulnerabilities, and competing interests among participating actors.

Additional Literature 

• Balmaceda, Margarita M. 2021. Russian Energy Chains: The Remaking of Technopolitics from Siberia to Ukraine to the European Union. Columbia University Press.

• Hanieh, Adam. 2025. Crude Capitalism. Verso.

• Högselius, Per. 2012. Red Gas: Russia and the Origins of European Energy Dependence. Palgrave Macmillan.

• Miesner, Thomas O., and William L. Leffler. 2020. Oil and Gas Pipelines in Nontechnical Language. 2nd ed. PennWell.

Week 5: Natural Gas, LNG, and the Transformation of Gas Geopolitics

Core Question
How has the expansion of liquefied natural gas transformed traditional patterns of energy dependence and geopolitical competition?

Preparation
Natural gas markets; LNG infrastructure; liquefaction and maritime transportation; long-term contracts and spot markets; diversification strategies following major supply disruptions.

Discussion-Based Lecture
Comparing pipeline-based and LNG-based energy systems. The session examines whether the growth of global gas markets reduces geopolitical vulnerability or creates new forms of dependence through maritime infrastructure, technology, and market exposure.

Research Lab
Analysing changing natural gas trade patterns using import data, infrastructure networks, and supplier diversification strategies to evaluate shifts in regional energy security.

Additional Literature 

• Blanchard, Christopher. 2021. Extraction State: A History of Natural Gas in America. University of Pittsburgh Press.

• Grigas, Agnia. 2017. The New Geopolitics of Natural Gas. Harvard University Press.

• Gustafson, Thane. 2020. The Bridge: Natural Gas in a Redivided Europe. Harvard University Press.

• Smil, Vaclav. 2015. Natural Gas: Fuel for the 21st Century. Wiley.

MODULE III – The New Geopolitics of the Energy Transition

Week 6: Critical Minerals and Strategic Supply Dependencies

Core Question
How is competition over transition minerals reshaping global patterns of strategic dependence and resource power?

Preparation
The role of lithium, cobalt, nickel, copper, and rare earth elements in the energy transition; global extraction and processing networks; mineral concentration; export restrictions; resource nationalism; diversification strategies among major economies.

Discussion-Based Lecture
Examining how the energy transition is creating new geopolitical dependencies alongside existing hydrocarbon vulnerabilities. The session explores the relationship between resource extraction, industrial capacity, technological competition, and unequal positions within global value chains.

Research Lab
Mapping a critical mineral supply chain to identify extraction sites, processing bottlenecks, strategic dependencies, and potential geopolitical vulnerabilities.

Additional Literature 

• Beiser, Vince. 2019. The World in a Grain: The Story of Sand and How It Transformed Civilization. Riverhead Books.

• Jaffe, Amy Myers. 2024. Energy’s Digital Future. Columbia University Press.

• Kalantzakos, Sophia. 2020. China and the Geopolitics of Rare Earths. Oxford University Press.

• Miller, Chris. 2022. Chip War: The Fight for the World’s Most Critical Technology. Scribner.

• Pitron, Guillaume. 2020. The Rare Metals War: The Dark Side of Clean Energy and Digital Technologies. Scribe Publications.

• Sanderson, Henry. 2023. Volt Rush. Oneworld Publications.

Week 7: Renewable Technologies, Electricity Grids, and Energy Power

Core Question
How do renewable technologies and electricity infrastructures reshape geopolitical power and strategic dependence?

Preparation
Renewable energy technologies; solar and wind manufacturing systems; electricity grids; energy storage; battery production; technological concentration and infrastructure security.

Discussion-Based Lecture
Analysing whether renewable energy systems reduce geopolitical vulnerability or generate new forms of dependence through technology, industrial capacity, and infrastructure networks. The session examines the changing relationship between energy production, technological capability, and geopolitical influence.

Research Lab
Assessing a renewable technology supply chain or regional electricity network to identify technical vulnerabilities, strategic dependencies, and possible resilience strategies.

Additional Literature 

• Aklin, Michaël, and Johannes Urpelainen. 2018. Renewables: The Politics of a Global Energy Transition. MIT Press.

• Chen, Gang. 2019. Politics of Renewable Energy in China. Edward Elgar Publishing.

• Dekanozishvili, Maia. 2023. Dynamics of EU Renewable Energy Policy Integration. Palgrave Macmillan.

• Fiorino, Daniel J. 2022. The Clean Energy Transition. Polity.

• Jelley, Nick. 2025. Renewable Energy. Oxford University Press.

• Scholten, Daniel, ed. 2018. The Geopolitics of Renewables. Springer.

Week 8: Energy Security Strategies of Major Importers

Core Question
How do energy-importing states reduce structural vulnerability in an increasingly uncertain geopolitical environment?

Preparation
Energy dependence and strategic vulnerability; diversification strategies; strategic reserves; nuclear energy; energy efficiency; international partnerships; demand-side adaptation.

Discussion-Based Lecture
Comparing how major energy importers respond to external shocks. The session examines Japan and the European Union as cases of states attempting to manage geographic disadvantages through technology, institutions, market diversification, and strategic alliances.

Research Lab
Comparative analysis of Japanese and European responses to major energy disruptions, focusing on policy adaptation, infrastructure choices, and strategic trade-offs.

Additional Literature 

• Blas, Javier, and Jack Farchy. 2022. The World for Sale: Money, Power, and the Traders Who Barter the Earth’s Resources. Oxford University Press.

• Garavini, Giuliano. 2021. The Rise and Fall of OPEC in the Twentieth Century. Oxford University Press.

• Müsgens, Felix, and Andreas Bade. 2025. Energy Trading and Risk Management. Springer.

• Pereira, Eduardo G. 2024. Upstream Oil and Gas in Africa. Globe Law and Business.

• Quinn, Joanna J. 2026. Majority State Ownership of Oil and Mining Sectors in Africa. Routledge.

• Raimi, Daniel. 2019. The Fracking Debate: The Risks, Benefits, and Uncertainties of the Shale Revolution. Columbia University Press.

• Vogler, Gary. 2017. Iraq and the Politics of Oil: An Insider’s Perspective. University Press of Kansas.

MODULE IV – Regional Theatres and Great Power Energy Strategies

Week 9: Gulf Energy Geopolitics and the Future of Producer States

Core Question
How are major energy-producing states adapting their strategies amid global energy transition pressures and changing geopolitical competition?

Preparation
The political economy of Gulf energy states; OPEC+ coordination; sovereign wealth funds; economic diversification strategies; hydrogen investment; renewable energy projects; sanctions and regional competition.

Discussion-Based Lecture
Examining whether Gulf states are losing influence as the global economy transitions away from hydrocarbons or adapting their power through new forms of energy diplomacy, investment, and strategic positioning.

Research Lab
Analysing a Gulf energy transition strategy or sovereign wealth fund investment portfolio to assess its geopolitical objectives, economic rationale, and long-term implications.

Additional Literature 

• Dargin, Justin. 2025. The Gulf’s Climate Reckoning. Cambridge University Press.

• Garavini, Giuliano. 2021. The Rise and Fall of OPEC in the Twentieth Century. Oxford University Press.

• Hope, Bradley, and Justin Scheck. 2021. Blood and Oil: Mohammed bin Salman’s Ruthless Quest for Global Power. Hachette Books.

• Qarmout, Tamer, Elias Zaidan, and Paul Joyce, eds. 2025. Public Policy in Gulf States. Springer.

• Scholten, Daniel, ed. 2023. Handbook on the Geopolitics of the Energy Transition. Edward Elgar Publishing.

Week 10: Russia, Central Asia, and Eurasian Energy Corridors

Core Question
How has Eurasian energy geopolitics changed as Russia, Central Asian states, and external powers compete to reshape regional energy networks?

Preparation
Russia’s historical use of energy as an instrument of statecraft; Eurasian pipeline networks; European energy dependence; the post-2022 reorientation of Russian exports; Central Asian hydrocarbon resources; transit state strategies; China’s growing role in regional energy infrastructure.

Discussion-Based Lecture
Examining how geography, infrastructure, and political relationships shape Eurasian energy strategies. The session analyses Russia’s attempt to redirect energy flows towards Asian markets, Central Asian efforts to balance between competing external powers, and the interaction between infrastructure dependence and geopolitical autonomy.

Research Lab
Mapping changes in Eurasian oil and gas export routes before and after major geopolitical disruptions, identifying new dependencies, alternative corridors, and strategic vulnerabilities.

Additional Literature 

• Balmaceda, Margarita M. 2021. Russian Energy Chains: The Remaking of Technopolitics from Siberia to Ukraine to the European Union. Columbia University Press.

• Buchanan, Elsa. 2021. Russian Energy Strategy in the Asia-Pacific: Implications for Australia. Australian National University Press.

• Djalilova, Nodira. 2022. Sustainable Energy in Central Asia. Routledge.

• Marat, Erica. 2026. Introducing Central Asia and the South Caucasus. Routledge.

• Opdahl, Inger M. 2020. The Russian State and Russian Energy Companies. Routledge.

• Perović, Jeronim. 2024. Fuel and Power: Energy, War, and Russia’s Statehood. Cambridge University Press.

• Porter, Jonathan, and Maya Vinokour, eds. 2023. Energy Culture. Palgrave Macmillan.

• Tynkkynen, Veli-Pekka. 2019. Energy of Russia: Hydrocarbon Culture and Climate Change. Edward Elgar Publishing.

Week 11: China’s Global Energy Strategy and Resource Networks

Core Question
How does China use international energy networks to secure resources, manage vulnerabilities, and expand geopolitical influence?

Preparation
China’s energy security strategy; dependence on imported hydrocarbons; overseas resource investment; energy infrastructure financing; the Belt and Road Initiative; maritime energy routes; strategic diversification of supply sources.

Discussion-Based Lecture
Analysing China’s approach to global energy security as a combination of market participation, state coordination, infrastructure development, and geopolitical strategy. The session explores whether China represents a distinct model of energy statecraft or a continuation of established patterns of resource competition.

Research Lab
Conducting a strategic assessment of a Chinese-backed energy infrastructure project or overseas resource investment, evaluating economic objectives, geopolitical implications, and local consequences.

Additional Literature 

• Gerstl, Alfred, and Ursula Wallenböck, eds. 2022. China’s Belt and Road Initiative. Routledge.

• Hillman, Jonathan E., and Feng Ji, eds. 2026. The Communist Party of China: Understanding the Durability of the World’s Most Powerful Political Organization. Cambridge University Press.

• Sahakyan, Mher D., and Kevin Lo, eds. 2025. Routledge Handbook of China’s Belt and Road Initiative in Eurasia. Routledge.

• Shapiro, Judith. 2015. China’s Environmental Challenges. Polity.

• Sheng, Lijun, and Danilo F. do Nascimento. 2022. The Belt and Road Initiative in South–South Cooperation. Palgrave Macmillan.

• Shi, Dan. 2025. Study on China’s Energy Security Structure. Springer.

• Sinopec Economics & Development Research Institute. 2025. China Energy Outlook 2060. Springer.

• Song, Meng, Jie Chen, Yang Feng, Shuang Xu, Shuang Zhao, and Qiang Xing. 2025. China’s Coal Consumption, Emissions, and Energy Security. Springer Nature.

• Sun, Xiaoyu, and Qiang Ji. 2025. Energy and Critical Mineral Security in China. Springer Nature.

• Usman, S. M., and Wei Jia. 2026. China’s Interest in Central Asia. Peter Lang.

• Wang, Alex L. 2026. Chinese Global Environmentalism. Cambridge University Press.

• Yu, Keping. 2023. China’s Energy Security in the Twenty-First Century. Hong Kong University Press.

Week 12: Energy Futures, Transition, and Climate Security

Core Question
What future configurations of the global energy order are likely to emerge, and what geopolitical consequences will they produce?

Preparation
Energy transition scenarios; climate security debates; hydrogen geopolitics; electrification and infrastructure resilience; competition between regionalisation and global integration; emerging energy technologies and geopolitical uncertainty.

Discussion-Based Lecture
Evaluating competing visions of the future energy order. The session examines whether the transition will produce greater cooperation through technological integration and climate governance, or intensify competition through new resource dependencies, industrial rivalry, and unequal access to transition technologies.

Research Lab
Developing alternative energy scenarios for 2035–2050 by identifying key drivers, uncertainties, and geopolitical consequences for major producers, consumers, and transition economies.

Additional Literature 

• Berners-Lee, Mike. 2025. A Climate of Truth. Cambridge University Press.

• Guenther, Lisa. 2024. The Language of Climate Politics. Oxford University Press.

• Hauger, Jens S., and Rami Mizo, eds. 2026. Climate Change, National Security and Geopolitics. Routledge.

• McKibben, Bill. 2025. Here Comes the Sun. W. W. Norton.

• Miller, Todd. 2017. Storming the Wall: Climate Change, Migration, and Homeland Security. City Lights.

• Rhodes, Richard. 2019. Energy: A Human History. Simon & Schuster.

• Swain, Ashok. 2024. Climate Security. SAGE Publications.

• Welzer, Harald. 2017. Climate Wars: Why People Will Be Killed in the 21st Century. Polity.

• Wolfberg, Alexandra. 2025. Climate Security Intelligence. Springer.

Office Hours and Consultation 

I welcome students to discuss course material, assessment questions, research ideas, or analytical challenges during consultation hours. To ensure that all requests are received and can be scheduled appropriately, please use the contact form provided for booking consultations.

I will respond with available times and confirmation of the meeting arrangement.

*** This course is designed to be adaptable across different higher education contexts. The weekly structure, assessment components, and reading requirements can be adjusted to meet the needs of particular institutions, programmes, or individual teaching contexts, and can be scaled appropriately for both undergraduate and postgraduate students. While the course’s analytical framework and intellectual objectives remain consistent, the structure presented here should be understood as a flexible model rather than a fixed template.

Updated – June 2026

I have made every effort to ensure the accuracy and coherence of this course design, but if you identify any errors, omissions, or areas for improvement, I would greatly appreciate your feedback. Academic work is always strengthened through careful review and constructive engagement. Additionally, if you are aware of any outstanding publications that could further enrich the course, I would welcome your recommendations.

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