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HIS33270

Academic Year 2026/2027

Energy, capitalism and conflict: generating power and turmoil in a warming world, 1800s-2020s (HIS33270)

Subject:
History
College:
Arts & Humanities
School:
History
Level:
3 (Degree)
Credits:
10
Module Coordinator:
Dr Armel Campagne
Trimester:
Autumn
Mode of Delivery:
On Campus
Internship Module:
No
How will I be graded?
Letter grades

Curricular information is subject to change.

From the 2026 Iran War and Russia's invasion of Ukraine to the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 28) in Dubai and the Just Stop Oil movement: more than ever, energy is at the heart of geopolitical and social conflicts and of global warming. This module explores the global history of energy politics and investigates the historical roots of contemporary climate change and carbon-intensive economies, at the intersection of the history of capitalism and imperialism. It scrutinizes the rise of coal and capitalism in Britain and its colonial empire, as well as the (post)colonial expansion and socialist development of the carbon economy. It investigates the history of "energy transitions" and renewable energies, together with the Great Acceleration of energy consumption. It delves into the labour and revolutionary politics of fossil fuels and that of pipeline sabotages. It showcases the entangled history of oil and American interventionism in the Middle East and Latin America, as well as the anticolonial revolt of the OPEC countries. Finally, it examines the rise of climate denialism and far-right support for fossil fuels. Drawing on the literature in energy, environmental, climate, labour, political, geopolitical, colonial and economic history, this module sheds new light at the global history of the modern world, shaped by energy as a source of both physical and sociopolitical power and entropy.

The module does not assume any prior knowledge on energy, climate, labour, geopolitical, capitalist or colonial history.

About this Module

Learning Outcomes:

At the end of this module students should:
- Have developed a working knowledge of the key themes, approaches and debates in global energy history.
- Be able to read, summarize, contextualize, analyse critically, and discuss sources relevant to global energy history.
- Contribute in a meaningful way to class discussions by demonstrating critical engagement with the weekly mandatory readings.
- Have acquired a specialized knowledge of a particular topic in global energy history, and be able to share it with other students.

Indicative Module Content:

This module will address such topics as:
- Energy as power and as ideology: an introduction to global energy history in a warming world
- The Britain capitalist roots of global warming: class conflict and the rise of capitalism, coal and steam power
- French “coalonialism” in Vietnam and Algeria
- Oil workers in revolution: from the Russian Revolution to the Iranian Revolution
- Destructive energies: world wars, Nazism and Stalinism
- Petro-Power: oil and the expansion of American capitalism and imperialism in the Middle East and Latin America
- State developmentalism in Asia, the anticolonial revolt of the OPEC, and the Great Acceleration of energy consumption
- The missing energy transitions: the historical trajectory of fossil capitalism and renewable energies
- Climate denialism, “energy transition” and “fossil fascism”: a history of late capitalist energy ideologies and politics
- The energy wars of the 21st century: from the US invasion of Iraq to the 2026 Iran War
- Resisting energy colonialism and fossil infrastructures: a history

UNESCO highlights a set of key competencies that support individuals in their development and support society in achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). UCD has adapted these competencies and is combining them with others to form a general framework of learning competencies. This module will help you develop the competencies below to the levels specified. 
Learning Competency Additional Information Level

Collaboration

 The ability to learn from others; to understand and respect the needs, perspectives and actions of others (empathy); to understand, relate to and be sensitive to others (empathic leadership); to deal with conflicts in a group; and to facilitate collaborative and participatory problem solving. Novice

Critical Thinking

 The ability to question norms, practices and opinions; to reflect on one’s own values, perceptions and actions. Competent

Systems Thinking

 The ability to recognize and understand relationships; to analyse complex systems; to think of how systems are embedded within different domains and different scales; and to deal with uncertainty. Competent

Integrated Problem Solving

 The overarching ability to apply different problem-solving frameworks to complex sustainability problems and develop viable, inclusive and equitable solution options that promote sustainable development, integrating the competencies in this list. Novice

Normative

 The ability to understand and reflect on the norms and values that underlie one’s actions; and to negotiate values, principles, goals, and targets, in a context of conflicts of interest and trade-offs, uncertain knowledge and contradictions. Advanced Beginner

Anticipatory

 The ability to understand and evaluate multiple scenarios for the future – possible, probable and desirable; to create one’s own visions for the future; to apply the precautionary principle; to assess the consequences of actions; and to deal with risks and changes. Advanced Beginner

AI Literacy & Agency

 The ability to understand, critically evaluate and responsibly engage with artificial intelligence; to recognise how AI systems are shaped by human values; to assess their ethical, social and environmental implications; and to exercise human judgement, agency and accountability in AI-related contexts. Novice

The United Nations identified seventeen Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as core to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and UCD contributes in general to SDG 4 Quality Education. Further SDGs explored within this module if relevant are listed below. A scale of 1 - 5 indicates the extent to which the SDG is covered.


Goal Name Description Coverage

End poverty in all its forms everywhere 1

End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture 1

Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages 1

Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls 1

Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all 1

Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all 1

Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all 1

Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation 1

Reduce inequality within and among countries 1

Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable 1

Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns 1

Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts 1

Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development 1

Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss 1

Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels 1
 

Student Effort Hours:
Student Effort Type Hours
Lectures

11
Seminar (or Webinar)

22
Specified Learning Activities

95
Autonomous Student Learning

95
Total

223

Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
This module combines a one-hour lecture with a two-hour seminar. The lectures will provide an overview of the major themes, approaches and debates in climate change history, whilst the seminars will revolve around two learning moments:
1) Small group and class discussions of the weekly reading and the lecture, with guiding questions aimed at facilitating reading and discussing the weekly reading and at tying them up with the lecture
2) Individual discussions between the lecturer and each student on essay writing, for students to ask questions and for the lecturer to provide guidance and feedback; and, from class 8, oral presentations by students of their work-in-progress essay project, to gain insights from their peers and feedback from the module coordinator

Generative AI may be permitted for certain assignments in this module, subject to the instructions of the module coordinator and in accordance with the Academic Integrity Policy. The Module Coordinator will provide further information during the module.

A proportion of written assignments in each module in the School of History are subject to moderation, meaning they undergo a second layer of review by another grader. This can include oral moderation meetings where the student is invited in for a short meeting with the module coordinator to discuss the assignment. Moderation contributes to better informed marking.

Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations

Not applicable to this module.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Not applicable to this module.
 

Assessment Strategy
Description Timing Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade In Module Component Repeat Offered
Assignment(Including Essay): An end of the semester research essay of 4000 words on a topic related to energy history and using relevant primary and secondary sources Week 14 Graded No
50
 No
Participation in Learning Activities: Oral presentation on the work-in-progress essay Week 11 Graded No
30
 No
Participation in Learning Activities: Contribution to the class discussion, and notably in the critical discussion of the mandatory readings Week 11 Graded No
20
 No

As part of UCD's student support, under the Additional Consideration policy, extensions may be available for the following assessments in the module: Assignment (including essay/poster), Portfolio, Reflective Assignment, Report(s), and Individual Project.


Carry forward of passed components
No
 

Resit In Terminal Exam
Spring No
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 

Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment
• Group/class feedback, post-assessment

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Feedback on the presentations is given in class and via Brightspace. Feedback on the essay assignment is given via Brightspace. Informal feedback on class contributions is given on a rolling basis during the seminar.

Timetabling information is displayed only for guidance purposes, relates to the current Academic Year only and is subject to change.
Autumn Lecture Offering 1 Week(s) - Autumn: All Weeks Mon 15:00 - 15:50
Autumn Lecture Offering 1 Week(s) - Autumn: All Weeks Tues 09:00 - 10:50
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