SOC415H1

Energy, Climate Change, and Society

This course examines how social life is inextricably linked with the energy system, a fact made especially salient by the climate crisis. We will spend the first part of the semester on fossil fuels. Where does the energy we all use come from and what economic, cultural, and political factors contribute to the entrenchment of fossil fuels in our energy mix? We’ll then consider the energy transition away from fossil fuels and to renewable sources. What are the primary barriers to a rapid energy transition? What roles do individuals, social movements, and policymakers play in enabling and/or hampering a transition away from fossil fuels? Finally, we will consider the potential social and political outcomes that are likely to accompany a rapid energy transition and discuss issues of energy and environmental justice.