Tackling Long-Term Global Energy Problems: The Contribution of Social Science (Environment & Policy Book 52)

Most Contemporary Energy-related Problems Are Social As Much As They Are Technological. Yet Typically, Only Scholars In A Narrow Range Of Social Science Disciplines Engage In Energy Research. This Book Makes A Case For A Multidisciplinary And Transdisciplinary Approach To Energy Research—one That Brings More Of The Social Sciences To Bear. Featuring Eight Studies From Across The Spectrum Of The Social Sciences, Each Applying Multiple Disciplines To One Or More Energy-related Problems, The Book Demonstrates The Strong Analytical And Policy-making Potential Of Such A Broadened Perspective. Case Studies Include: Energy Transitions Of Households In Developing Countries, The ‘curse Of Oil’, Politics And Visions For Renewables, Economics And Ethics In Emissions Trading, And Carbon Capture And Storage.^ The Authors Characterise The Most Pressing Global Energy Problems, Discuss The Role Of Social Science In Analysing And Addressing Them And Offer Recommendations For Research Agendas. Academics As Well As Practitioners Working In The Energy Field Will Find The Contents Relevant And Thought-provoking. ‘a Forceful Argument For The Indispensible Role Of The Social Sciences In Energy Research And Why The Present Asymmetry With The Natural Sciences/engineering Has To Be Overcome In Addressing The Enormous Complexity Of The Problems Confronting Us. A Must-read For Anyone Interested In How Academic Research And Civil Society Will Either Succeed Or Fail – Together.’ Helga Nowotny, President, European Research Council ‘this Book Presents A Crucial Plea To All Involved In Energy Problems. To Scientists And Engineers It Shows That Energy Systems That Are Not Well Embedded In Society Will Not Function Properly And Sustainably.^ And For Social Scientists This Book Highlights How Crucially Important The Scientific And Technical Dimensions Of Energy Problems Are For The Social Cohesion Of Society.’ Wiebe E. Bijker, Professor Of Technology & Society, University Of Maastricht, The Netherlands Part I -- 1. Introduction / David L. Goldblatt, Jurg Minsch, Thomas Flueler, And Daniel Spreng -- 2. Energy-related Challenges / Thomas Flueler, David L. Goldblatt, Jurg Minsch, And Daniel Spreng -- 3. The Indispensable Role Of Social Science In Energy Research / Jurg Minsch, David L. Goldblatt, Thomas Flueler, And Daniel Spreng -- Part Ii: Invited Contributions / David L. Goldblatt, Thomas Flueler, Jurg Minsch, And Daniel Spreng -- 4. What About Social Science And Interdisciplinarity? A 10-year Content Analysis Of Energy Policy / Benjamin K. Sovacool, Saleena Saleem, Anthony Louis D'agostino, Catherine Regalado Ramos, Kirsten Trott, And Yanchun Ong -- 5. Towards An Integrative Framework For Energy Transitions Of Households In Developing Countries / Shonali Pachauri And Daniel Spreng -- 6. A Socio-cultural Analysis Of Changing Household Electricity Consumption In India / Harold Wilhite -- 7. The Changing Context For Efforts To Avoid The 'curse Of Oil' / Jill Shankleman -- 8. Contributions Of Economics And Ethics To An Assessment Of Emissions Trading / Adrian Muller -- 9. No Smooth, Managed Pathway To Sustainable Energy Systems -- Politics, Materiality And Visions For Wind Turbine And Biogas Technology / Ulrik Jørgensen -- 10. Technical Fixes Under Surveillance -- Ccs And Lessons Learned From The Governance Of Long-term Radioactive Waste Management / Thomas Flüeler -- 11. Learning From The Transdisciplinary Case Study Approach: A Functional-dynamic Approach To Collaboration Among Diverse Actors In Applied Energy Settings / Michael Stauffacher, Pius Krütli, Thomas Flueler, And Roland W. Scholz -- 12. Lessons From The Invited Contributions Daniel Spreng And David L. Goldblatt -- 13. Synthesis: Research Perspectives / David L. Goldblatt, Daniel Spreng, Thomas Flüeler, And Jürg Minsch -- Part Iii -- 14. Lessons For Problem-solving Energy Research In The Social Sciences / Jürg Minsch, Thomas Flüeler, David L. Goldblatt, And Daniel Spreng. Edited By Daniel Spreng ... [et Al.]. Includes Bibliographical References And Indexes. Front Matter....Pages i-xxviii Front Matter....Pages 1-1 Introduction....Pages 3-10 Energy-Related Challenges....Pages 11-22 The Indispensable Role of Social Science in Energy Research....Pages 23-43 Front Matter....Pages 45-45 What About Social Science and Interdisciplinarity? A 10-Year Content Analysis of Energy Policy ....Pages 47-71 Towards an Integrative Framework for Energy Transitions of Households in Developing Countries....Pages 73-96 A Socio-Cultural Analysis of Changing Household Electricity Consumption in India....Pages 97-113 The Changing Context for Efforts to Avoid the ‘Curse of Oil’....Pages 115-132 Contributions of Economics and Ethics to an Assessment of Emissions Trading....Pages 133-166 No Smooth, Managed Pathway to Sustainable Energy Systems – Politics, Materiality and Visions for Wind Turbine and Biogas Technology....Pages 167-189 Technical Fixes Under Surveillance – CCS and Lessons Learned from the Governance of Long-Term Radioactive Waste Management....Pages 191-226 Learning from the Transdisciplinary Case Study Approach: A Functional-Dynamic Approach to Collaboration Among Diverse Actors in Applied Energy Settings....Pages 227-245 Lessons from the Invited Contributions....Pages 247-261 Synthesis: Research Perspectives....Pages 263-269 Front Matter....Pages 271-271 Lessons for Problem-Solving Energy Research in the Social Sciences....Pages 273-319 Back Matter....Pages 321-336