POLITICAL SCIENCE AND INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
Bachelor TR-NQF-HE: Level 6 QF-EHEA: First Cycle EQF-LLL: Level 6

Course Introduction and Application Information

Course Code Course Name Semester Theoretical Practical Credit ECTS
POL4521 Politics of Oil and Energy Fall 3 0 3 6
The course opens with the approval of the Department at the beginning of each semester

Basic information

Language of instruction: En
Type of course: Departmental Elective
Course Level: Bachelor
Mode of Delivery: Hybrid
Course Coordinator : Assoc. Prof. ESRA ALBAYRAKOĞLU
Course Objectives: This course examines oil and energy issues that greatly affect national, regional, and global politics. Complex interdependencies among states, companies, international and supranational institutions and organizations on energy resources in a historical process progressing from the coal age to the global peak oil era are discussed. Energy geopolitics and energy security (in terms of supply, demand, and environment) are analysed through different political perspectives based on geographical foci of power. Conflicts over the control of energy resources in major regions of the world are examined comparatively. The importance of investing in renewable energy resources is evaluated in the context of sustainable development goals, especially environmental issues.

Learning Outputs

The students who have succeeded in this course;
The students who have succeeded in this course;
1. Explain struggles of states for the control of energy resources since the industrial revolution;
2. Grasp the importance of energy resources that are effective in determining national, regional and global politics;
3. Observe the role of energy security in explaining international and global relations;
4. Recognize the relationship of oil and energy policies with economic, political, security and environmental problems;
5. Define and analyse energy types with a focus on supply, demand and markets;
6. Examine the relationship between energy security and international conflicts;
7. Support projects and policies of investment on renewable energy resources for sustainable development goals.

Course Content

Struggles of states for the control of energy resources after the industrial revolution; the importance of energy security and energy geopolitics in international relations; current conflicts over regions where energy resources are concentrated; types of energy and the importance of renewable energy for sustainable development goals.

Weekly Detailed Course Contents

Week Subject Related Preparation
1) Introduction to the Course / Definition and Types of the Concept of Energy & A Brief History of Energy Consumption • Fanchi, John R & Fanchi Christopher J., “A Brief History of Energy Consumption”, 2017. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=caSnC5q9QFY
2) Fossil Energy: Coal, Oil and Gas • Fanchi, John R & Fanchi Christopher J., “Fossil Energy – Coal”, 2017. • Fanchi, John R & Fanchi Christopher J., “Fossil Energy – Oil and Gas”, 2017. • Yergin, Daniel, “The Founders”, 2008.
3) Peak Oil • Fanchi, John R. & Fanchi, Christopher J., “Energy in Transition”, 2017. • Bardi, Ugo, “Peak oil, 20 years later: Failed prediction or useful insight?”, 2019. • Yergin, Daniel, “The Hydrocarbon Age”, 2008. • Chapman, Ian, “The end of Peak Oil? Why this topic is still relevant despite recent denials”, 2014. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K9WgrxJCQ8o
4) The IPE of Energy Resources • David N. Balaam, Bradford Dillman, “The IPE of Energy Resources: Stuck in Transition”, 2019. • Yergin, Daniel, “The Battle for the World Mastery”, 2008. • Yergin, Daniel, “America’s New Map”, 2020 • Meyer, Robinson, “America Is the World’s Largest Oil Producer. So Why Is Losing Russia’s Oil Such a Big Deal?”, 2022. • Rapier, Robert, “The U.S. Is Still The World’s Top Oil Producer”, 2022. https://www.offshore-technology.com/comment/three-reasons-us-now-worlds-largest-oil-producer/ https://www.eia.gov/tools/faqs/faq.php?id=709&t=6
5) COVID-19 and Oil Price Crash • Jiang, P., Fan, Y.V., & Klemes, J.J, “Impacts of COVID-19 on energy demand and consumption: Challenges, lessons and emerging opportunities”, 2021. • EIA Forecasts, “Short-Term Energy Outlook”, Release Date: June 9, 2020, available at: https://www.eia.gov/outlooks/steo/ • IEA Reports, “Global Energy Review”, Release Date: April 2020, available at: https://www.iea.org/reports/global-energy-review-2020/oil#abstract
6) Russian Invasion of Ukraine and European Energy Security • Bump, Philip, "The complicated question of ending imports of Russian oil", Washington Post, March 4, 2022, available at: https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/03/04/complicated-question-ending-imports-russian-oil/ • Krauss, Clifford, "Ukraine and the Mirage of Energy Independence", The New York Times, February 25, 2022, available at: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/25/business/ukraine-russia-us-oil-gas.html • European Council, Official Website-2022, “EU response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine”, available at: https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/policies/eu-response-ukraine-invasion/ • EU Parliament, "Russia's war on Ukraine: Implications for EU energy supply", Release Date: March 2022. Available at: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/ATAG/2022/729281/EPRS_ATA(2022)729281_EN.pdf • IEA Reports, "Russian supplies to global energy markets: Assessing the impacts of Russia's invasion of Ukraine on global oil and natural gas markets and energy security", Release Date: February 24, 2022, available at: https://www.iea.org/reports/russian-supplies-to-global-energy-markets
7) Midterm Exam
8) Nuclear and Renewable Energy & Sustainable Development Goals • Fanchi, John R & Fanchi Christopher J., “Nuclear Energy”, 2017. • Fanchi, John R & Fanchi Christopher J., “Renewable Energy – Solar Energy”, 2017. • Fanchi, John R & Fanchi Christopher J., “Renewable Energy – Wind Energy”, 2017. • Fanchi, John R & Fanchi Christopher J., “Renewable Energy – Energy from Water”, 2017. • Yergin, Daniel, “Climate Map”, 2020. • Saket Kushwaha, “Energy and Sustainable Development”, 2021. • Saket Kushwaha, “Issues In Sustainable Development and Their Potential Solutions”, 2021 https://sdgs.un.org/goals
9) Oil Conflicts in the Persian Gulf • Yergin, Daniel, “Maps of the Middle East”, 2020. • Klare, Michael T., “Oil Conflict in the Persian Gulf”, 2001.
10) Doğu Akdeniz Bölgesi’nde Enerji Çatışmaları • Yergin, Daniel, “The Rise of the ‘Eastern Med’”, 2020. • Karbuz, Sohbet, “Geostrategic Importance of East Mediterranean Gas Resources”, 2018. https://emgf.org/ https://www.mfa.gov.tr/site_media/html/Turkish-Foreign-Policy-on-Maritime-Boundary-Energy-Issues-in-the-Eastern-Mediterranean.pdf
11) Hazar Havzası’nda Enerji Çatışmaları • Yergin, Daniel, “Russia’s Map”, 2020. • Klare, Michael T., “Energy Conflict in the Caspian Sea Basin”, 2001. https://www.cpc.ru/EN/Pages/default.aspx
12) Oil Conflicts in the South China Sea • Yergin, Daniel, “China’s Map”, 2020. • Klare, Michael T., “Oil Wars in the South China Sea”, 2001. https://www.beltroad-initiative.com/belt-and-road/ https://www.ebrd.com/what-we-do/belt-and-road/overview.html
13) Water, Geography, and Conflict • Klare, Michael T., “Water Conflict in the Nile Basin”, 2001. • Klare, Michael T., “Water Conflict in the Jordan, Tigris-Euphrates, and Indus River Basins”, 2001. https://www.unwater.org/water-facts/transboundary-waters
14) WRAP UP AND Q&A

Sources

Course Notes: Books: • Fanchi, John R. & Fanchi, Christopher J., Energy in the 21st Century, World Scientific Publishing, 4th Edition, 2017. • Yergin, Daniel, The Prize: The Epic Quest for Oil, Money and Power, Free Press, 2008. • Yergin, Daniel, The New Map: Energy, Climate, and the Clash of Nations, Penguin Press, 2020. • Klare, Michael T., Resource Wars: The New Landscape of Global Conflict, Owl Books, 2001. • Saket Kushwaha, Sustaniable Development: Closing the Loop, e-Edition, Delve Publishing, 2021. Articles: • Jiang, P., Fan, Y.V., & Klemes, J.J, “Impacts of COVID-19 on energy demand and consumption: Challenges, lessons and emerging opportunities”, Applied Energy, Vol. 285, 2021. • Chapman, Ian, “The end of Peak Oil? Why this topic is still relevant despite recent denials”, Energy Policy, Vol. 64, pp. 93-101, 2014. • Meyer, Robinson, “America Is the World’s Largest Oil Producer. So Why Is Losing Russia’s Oil Such a Big Deal?”, The Atlantic, 2022. • Rapier, Robert, “The U.S. Is Still The World’s Top Oil Producer”, Forbes, 2022. • Bardi, Ugo, “Peak oil, 20 years later: Failed prediction or useful insight?”, Energy Research and Social Science, Vol. 49, pp. 257-261, 2019. • Karbuz, Sohbet, “Geostrategic Importance of East Mediterranean Gas Resources” in Energy Economy, Finance and Geostrategy, Dorsman, A., Ediger, V., Karan, M. (eds), Springer, 2018. The textbooks and articles listed on the syllabus are also accessible through the BAU Library. The PPT files will be shared on ItsLearning following each class.
References: Youtube videos and Internet links on related subjects.

Evaluation System

Semester Requirements Number of Activities Level of Contribution
Attendance 0 % 0
Laboratory % 0
Application % 0
Field Work % 0
Special Course Internship (Work Placement) % 0
Quizzes 4 % 15
Homework Assignments 1 % 15
Presentation 0 % 0
Project % 0
Seminar % 0
Midterms 1 % 25
Preliminary Jury % 0
Final 1 % 45
Paper Submission % 0
Jury % 0
Bütünleme % 0
Total % 100
PERCENTAGE OF SEMESTER WORK % 55
PERCENTAGE OF FINAL WORK % 45
Total % 100

ECTS / Workload Table

Activities Number of Activities Workload
Course Hours 13 39
Laboratory
Application
Special Course Internship (Work Placement)
Field Work
Study Hours Out of Class 13 101
Presentations / Seminar
Project
Homework Assignments 1 7
Quizzes
Preliminary Jury
Midterms 1 1.5
Paper Submission
Jury
Final 1 1.5
Total Workload 150

Contribution of Learning Outcomes to Programme Outcomes

No Effect 1 Lowest 2 Low 3 Average 4 High 5 Highest
           
Program Outcomes Level of Contribution
1) Grasp basic theoretical and conceptual knowledge about the field and relations between them at the level of practice.
2) Possess basic knowledge about the causes and effects of political transformations in societies.
3) Possess knowledge about quantitative, qualitative and mixed research methods in social and behavioral sciences.
4) Recognize historical patterns while evaluating contemporary political and social developments.
5) Demonstrate interdisciplinary and critical approach while analyzing, synthesizing and forecasting domestic and foreign policy.
6) Conduct studies in the field professionally, both independently or as a team member.
7) Possess consciousness about lifelong learning based on Research & Development.
8) Communicate with peers both orally and in writing, by using a foreign language at least at a level of European Language Portfolio B1 General Level and the necessary informatics and communication technologies.
9) Apply field-related knowledge and competences into career advancement, projects for sustainable development goals, and social responsibility initiatives.
10) Possess the habit to monitor domestic and foreign policy agenda as well as international developments.
11) Possess competence to interpret the new political actors, theories and concepts in a global era.
12) Evaluate the legal and ethical implications of advanced technologies on politics.