Description
On Petrocultures brings together key essays by Imre Szeman, a leading scholar in the field of energy humanities and a critical voice in debates about globalization and neoliberalism. Szeman's most important and influential essays, in dialog with exciting new pieces written for the book, investigate ever-evolving circuits of power in the contemporary world, as manifested in struggles over space and belonging, redefinitions of work and individual autonomy, and the deep links between energy use and climate change.
These essays explore life lived in the twenty-first century by examining critically the vocabulary through which capitalism makes sense of itself, focusing on concepts like the nation, globalization, neoliberalism, creativity, and entrepreneurship. At the heart of the volume is the concept of "petrocultures," which demands that we understand a fundamental fact of modern life: we are shaped by and through fossil fuels. Szeman argues that we cannot take steps to address global warming without fundamentally changing social, cultural, and political norms and expectations developed in conjunction with the energy riches of the past century. On Petrocultures maps the significant challenge of our dependence on fossil fuels and probes ways that we might begin to leave petrocultures behind.
About the Author
Imre Szeman is University Research Chair of Communication Arts at the University of Waterloo. His recent books include After Oil (West Virginia University Press), Energy Humanities: An Anthology, and Fueling Culture: 101 Words for Energy and Environment.
Book Information
ISBN 9781946684882
Author Imre Szeman
Format Paperback
Page Count 252
Imprint West Virginia University Press
Publisher West Virginia University Press
Weight(grams) 380g
Dimensions(mm) 213mm * 139mm * 20mm
These essays explore life lived in the twenty-first century by examining critically the vocabulary through which capitalism makes sense of itself, focusing on concepts like the nation, globalization, neoliberalism, creativity, and entrepreneurship. At the heart of the volume is the concept of "petrocultures," which demands that we understand a fundamental fact of modern life: we are shaped by and through fossil fuels. Szeman argues that we cannot take steps to address global warming without fundamentally changing social, cultural, and political norms and expectations developed in conjunction with the energy riches of the past century. On Petrocultures maps the significant challenge of our dependence on fossil fuels and probes ways that we might begin to leave petrocultures behind.
About the Author
Imre Szeman is University Research Chair of Communication Arts at the University of Waterloo. His recent books include After Oil (West Virginia University Press), Energy Humanities: An Anthology, and Fueling Culture: 101 Words for Energy and Environment.
Book Information
ISBN 9781946684882
Author Imre Szeman
Format Paperback
Page Count 252
Imprint West Virginia University Press
Publisher West Virginia University Press
Weight(grams) 380g
Dimensions(mm) 213mm * 139mm * 20mm
