Energy, Logistics, Infrastructure

Module title	Energy, Logistics, Infrastructure
Module code	ARAM090
Academic year	2025/6
Credits	30
Module staff	Professor Laleh Khalili (Convenor)

Duration: Term	1	2	3
Duration: Weeks	11

Number students taking module (anticipated)	30

Module description

This module examines the global politics of logistics, energy, and infrastructure. The module will provide you with an engaging overview – academically rigorous yet practically applicable – to key topics in energy transitions, logistics networks and processes, and global infrastructures.

The aim is to allow non-specialist students, without having taken any prerequisites, to study the subject. The module is available as an option in interdisciplinary pathways.

Module aims - intentions of the module

The module aims to provide you with

1) A knowledge of the scholarly debates over the politics of energy transition

2) An understanding of the key faultlines over the construction of infrastructures locally, nationally and globally

3) Familiarity the complex politics underlying the development of logistics networks

4) An ability to recognise the stakes of and apply trans-disciplinary theories to real-world cases concerning energy usage, infrastructure construction and logistical processes.

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

ILO: Module-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

1. Demonstrate clear knowledge of contemporary issues concerning infrastructure, energy and logistics
2. Critically apply knowledge of the theories and empirical research on specific case studies to real-world problems.

ILO: Discipline-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

3. Acquire familiarity with and mastery of broad transdisciplinary approaches to the study of infrastructures and energy
4. Exercise critical judgment on ongoing policy and political struggles over material infrastructures and energy transition

ILO: Personal and key skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

5. Develop and conduct independent research, critical judgement, and write clearly and persuasively
6. Develop presentation abilities and the judgement to identify spurious arguments in contemporary politics.

Syllabus plan

While the content of this module is likely to change from year to year, to reflect advances in the field as well as addressing urgent topical case studies, it is envisaged that we will cover some or all of the following topics:

An overview of the history of energy usage and debates around energy transition
Scalar politics (geopolitical, national, local) politics and effects of energy transitions
An overview of the role of infrastructures in the constitution of political and social power
Debates around infrastructure planning, financing, and usage
Familiarity with struggles constituted around infrastructures
Addressing at least 2 specific infrastructural case studies (e.g. electricity and water, digital infrastructures)
The intertwined politics and social relations of energy usage, infrastructures and logistics
Addressing at least 1 specific logistical case study (e.g. energy transport; ports; airports)

Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)

Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities	Guided independent study	Placement / study abroad
22	278	0

Details of learning activities and teaching methods

Category	Hours of study time	Description
Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activity	22	11 x 1 hour lecture + 11 x 1 hour seminar
Guided Independent Study	78	Reading ahead of seminars to enable full in-class participation and learning
Guided Independent Study	200	Research, writing, and revision to enable successful completion of assessments

Formative assessment

Form of assessment	Size of the assessment (eg length / duration)	ILOs assessed	Feedback method
Class participation	Weekly seminars	1-6	Verbal, in class
Essay plan	500 words	1-6	Written feedback

Summative assessment (% of credit)

Coursework	Written exams	Practical exams
100	0	0

Details of summative assessment

Form of assessment	% of credit	Size of the assessment (eg length / duration)	ILOs assessed	Feedback method
Research essay 1	40	2500 words	1-6	Written
Research essay 2	60	3500 words	1-6	Written

Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)

Original form of assessment	Form of re-assessment	ILOs re-assessed	Timescale for re-assessment
Research essay 1	2500 words (40%)	1-6	Ref/def period
Research essay 2	3500 words (60%)	1-6	Ref/def period

Re-assessment notes

Deferral – if you miss an assessment for certificated reasons judged acceptable by the Mitigation Committee,you will normally be either deferred in the assessment or an extension may be granted. The mark given for are-assessment taken as a result of deferral will not be capped and will be treated as it would be if it were your first attempt at the assessment.

Referral – if you have failed the module overall (i.e. a final overall module mark of less than 50%) you will be required to redo the assessment(s) as defined above. If you are successful on referral, your overall module mark will be capped at 50%.

Indicative learning resources - Basic reading

Basic reading:

Appel, Hannah et al, 2015, Subterranean Estates: Life Worlds of Oil and Gas (Cornell University Press).
Christophers, Brett, 2023. Our Lives in Their Portfolios (Verso).
Cowen, Deb, 2014. The Deadly Life of Logistics (University of Minnesota Press).
Cronon, William, 1992. Nature’s Metropolis: Chicago and the Great West (W.W. Norton and Company).
El Kazaz, Sarah, 2023. Politics in the Crevices: Urban Design and the Making of Property Markets in Cairo and Istanbul (Duke).
Gunel, Gokce, 2019, Spaceship in the Desert: Energy, Climate Change and Urban Design in Abu Dhabi (Duke).
Hanieh, Adam, 2024, Crude Capitalism: Oil, Corporate Power, and the Making of the World Market (Verso).
Khalili, Laleh, 2020, Sinews of War and Trade: Shipping and Capitalism in the Arabian Peninsula (Verso)
Marriott, James and Mika Minio-Paluello, 2012, The Oil Road: Journeys from the Caspian Sea to the City of London (Verso).
Meiton, Fredrik, 2019, Electrical Palestine: Capital and Technology from Empire to Nation (University of California Press).
Menoret, Pascal, 2014, Joyriding in Riyadh: Oil, Urbanism and Road Revolt (Cambridge University Press).
Mitchell, Tim, 2023, Carbon Democracy: Political Power in the Age of Oil (Verso).
Slobodian, Quinn, 2023, Crack-Up Capitalism: Market Radicals and the Dream of a World (Metropolitan Books).
Smil, Vaclav, 2010, Energy Transitions: History, Requirements, Prospects (Bloomsbury)
von Schnitzler, Antina, 2016, Democracy's Infrastructure: Techno-Politics and Protest after Apartheid (Princeton University Press).

Indicative learning resources - Web based and electronic resources

• ELE –

• Think-tank and international institutions’ websites (e.g. WorldBank, OPEC etc)

Indicative learning resources - Other resources

• Students should familiarise themselves with the outputs of leading national and international infrastructure and energy think-tanks, specialist blogs, and major newspapers’ financial/infrastructure/energy commentary

Key words search

Energy politics, politics of infrastructure, energy transition, history and politics of logistics, infrastructure financing, colonial and imperial infrastructures

Credit value	30
Module ECTS	15
Module pre-requisites	None
Module co-requisites	None
NQF level (module)	7
Available as distance learning?	No
Origin date	19/11/2024