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CS92PROD
The Political Economy of Oil

GOVT 381
Spring 2013
Section: 01  
Certificates: International Relations

This course examines the strategic, political, and economic aspects of the global oil and gas industry. On one side is the U.S. as the dominant energy consumer, for whom securing oil supplies has been a major strategic priority since the 1930s. On the other side are a variety of producer countries, for whom oil has brought wealth but also political instability and conflict. Political scientists actively debate the impact of oil on the prospects for democracy and economic development. It is also important to understand the structure of the industry and the goals of the corporations that make it up. Students will complete case studies of individual producer countries and oil companies. The cases selected will cover the whole range--the Middle East (Saudi Arabia, Iran, etc.), Russia and Central Asia, and developing countries (Venezuela, Nigeria, etc.)--not to forget other cases such as Norway and Trinidad. We will also examine the phenomenon of peak oil and the rise of natural gas and other fuels.
Credit: 1 Gen Ed Area Dept: SBS GOVT
Course Format: SeminarGrading Mode: Graded
Level: UGRD Prerequisites: None
Fulfills a Major Requirement for: (CGST-MN)(GOVT)(GOVT-Comparativ)(GOVT-Intl.)
Past Enrollment Probability: Not Available

Last Updated on MAR-28-2024
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