Prospectus

nl en

Energy Governance in a Post-carbon World

Course
2026-2027

Admission requirements

Participation in the seminar is only permitted if the propaedeutic phase has been passed (60 EC). Enrollment as an exchange student is only permitted if you are a third-year BSc student and have passed at least 60 EC in Political Science and/or International Relations courses.

Description

Reliable and affordable energy supply has been central to sustaining modern economies and societies. While energy issues have always been deeply political, the necessity to decarbonize the energy systems to mitigate climate change have turned energy policy and planning into one of the most pressing and contentious political and governance issues. Although fossil-fuels still continue to play a dominant role in the global energy supply, the transition towards new renewable energy sources has unfolded at an unprecedented pace leading to the rise of new governance structures, socio-technical innovations and conflicts. In this seminar, we will introduce some of the key concepts in the contemporary energy debates (energy conflicts, energy security, energy democracy, energy justice, energy transformation) and discuss the dynamic institutional architecture and political drivers behind energy governance in a multi-level context. A particular focus will be placed on the tensions between the "old" fossil fuel-interests and structures and the emerging low-carbon energy governance. Throughout the seminar, we will combine the conceptual discussions with the analyzes of timely case studies of energy decision-making across different political contexts.

Course objectives

Upon the successful completion of the course, the students will be able to:

  • Explain the discussed key concepts in energy governance

  • Explain the evolution and architecture of global energy governance

  • Explain the discussed theoretical perspectives to energy transition

  • Apply the discussed concepts and theories to analyze real-world cases

Schedule

The timetables are available through MyTimetable (see the button in the upper right corner)

Teaching method

Seminar

Assessment Method

Assessment method: Participation (15%), presentation (15%) plus Q&A (10%), mid-term exam (30%), policy report (30%)

Reading list

Articles (see Syllabus)

Registration

General information about course and exam enrolment is available on the website (https://www.student.universiteitleiden.nl/en/your-study-programme/courses-and-exams/enrolment/social-and-behavioural-sciences/international-relations-and-organisations-bsc?cd=international-relations-and-organisations-bsc&cf=social-and-behavioural-sciences#tab-1).

Contact

For substantive questions, contact the lecturer(s) (listed in the right information bar).  For questions about enrolment, contact the Student Services Centre: ssc@leiden.edu.