Energy transition is a topic that cannot be discussed in isolation. Neither from other international and national concerns, nor from economic, ecological, societal and military-political developments. The 2012 European International Relations Summer School for PhD students intends to tackle this complexity by taking an interdisciplinary approach to the study of energy transition. By bringing together and contrasting a broad range of disciplines this summer school intends to increase insights, find new inroads and create synergy in the complexity behind the many transitions that are taking place in energy.
During the Summer School the discussion will focus on questions like:
-
How do insights from various disciplines merge in discourses about sustainability, security and energy transition?
-
What can natural sciences gain from economic, political, societal and legal perspectives? And vice versa: how are arguments and findings in physics used and (mis)used in international negotiations and in other disciplines?
-
What are the latest technological developments in the energy sector and how can these be implemented most effectively?
-
How will current geopolitical tensions be affected by energy transition policies?
-
Which stakeholders will gain or lose during and after an energy transition?
To further the debate on energy transition this two week Summer School will focus on three main disciplinary approaches to energy transition in the context of new theoretical approaches of World Society. The first angle comes from International Relations theory, the second from economics and the third from natural sciences. Other approaches, for example, geology, law or history will also be present in the broad range of speakers. Multiple excursions and site visits are included in the (provisional) programme.
For more information see the Main Theme and Goals
and the Structure of the Summer School, which includes information on finances and selection criteria. For registration, please click here.
For questions please contact J. Kester
