The course comprises four lectures and discussions on the history and consequences of U.S. energy policy, from the New Dealers to the NeoCons. The objective of the course is to familiarize students with the ebb and flow of U.S. domestic and international policies and how these have shaped the production, transformation and consumption of the fuels and technology that power the U.S. economy, and relations with other nations. The lectures will aim to establish that there cannot be, in actual fact, a national "energy" policy, given the statutory, legal and regulatory history that compels distinct treatment of each of the major fuels and technologies involved in providing useful energy to consumers. The lectures will examine social, economic, security and environmental aspects of energy policy-making.
