This week commences part III of the module turning to the question of fossil fuels, specifically oil, and political-economic transformation in the Middle East in the mid-20^thcentury. We start with a broad overview, tracing the origins of the ways in which carbon-based fossil fuels, democratic politics, and global climate change coincided in the history of the Middle East through the emergence of the transnational oil corporation as a new political actor.

[LECTURE SLIDES]

Seminar Questions:

Countries of the Middle East seem to be afflicted with an ‘oil curse.’ What properties of oil – in terms of its material and technical properties -- does such an argument overlook?

What connections between fossil fuels and (carbon) democracy does Mitchell highlight?

What role has the transnational (oil) corporation played in this history?

How would you begin using the history of fossil fuels in the Middle East to explain why the current environmental movement (e.g. Extinction Rebellion) is protesting?

How would Mitchell respond to Monbiot's call to prevent 'ecological apocalypse'?

Readings:

Timothy Mitchell, Carbon Democracy: Political Power in the Age of Oil (Verso, 2011): Introduction (pp.8-16) and Chapter 1 (pp.17-41). [ebook]

George Monbiot, ‘Sleepwalking to Extinction,’ The Guardian (2003): https://www.monbiot.com/2003/08/12/sleepwalking-to-extinction/

George Monbiot, ‘Only Rebellion will prevent an ecological apocalypse,’ The Guardian (2019): access at https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/apr/15/rebellion-prevent-ecological-apocalypse-civil-disobedience