33712

WiSe 25/26: Extractive Economies and Energy Transitions in Latin America: Socio-political and economic dimensions

Martin Middelanis, Bettina Schorr

Information for students

A central component of the course is a collaborative project's planning, implementation, and documentation. A 12-day excursion to Peru is planned, including visits to Lima, selected mining regions, and — if possible — an additional trip to northern Chile to explore hydrogen projects. The excursion is subject to PROMOS funding; regardless of funding outcomes, participants are expected to cover the cost of their round-trip flights to Peru. If granted, PROMOS funding is a subsidy for the overall costs. Students of the course must be willing to participate in the excursion (if it takes place). If funding cannot be secured, an alternative project will be implemented at Freie Universität Berlin. close

Additional information / Pre-requisites

Das Vortreffen zum Projektmodul findet am 17.07. um 10:00 Uhr im Seminarraum 003 in der Boltzmannstraße 1, Berlin-Dahlem statt.

Comments

This interdisciplinary project course explores the various forms, dynamics, and interconnections between global energy transitions towards sustainable energy sources and extractive economies in Latin America. It offers students both a theoretical and practical introduction to the economic and political dimensions of extractivism, while critically examining the challenges and opportunities of energy transitions within resource-based economic systems. Key questions include: What role do extractive economies in countries like Peru and Chile play in shaping global and regional energy transitions? How do the extraction of resources such as lithium, copper, and hydrogen affect the development of sustainable energy systems? And conversely, how do global energy transitions transform existing extractive structures? A central component of the course is a collaborative project's planning, implementation, and documentation. A 12-day excursion to Peru is planned, including visits to Lima, selected mining regions, and — if possible — an additional trip to northern Chile to explore hydrogen projects. The excursion is subject to PROMOS funding; regardless of funding outcomes, participants are expected to cover the cost of their round-trip flights to Peru. If granted, PROMOS funding is a subsidy for the overall costs. Students of the course must be willing to participate in the excursion (if it takes place). If funding cannot be secured, an alternative project will be implemented at Freie Universität Berlin. close

Suggested reading

Burchardt, HJ & Dietz, K. 2014. (Neo-) Extractivism - A new Challenge for Development Theory from Latin America. Third World Quarterly, 35 (3): 468-486. Dorn, F. 2022: Green Colonialism in Latin America? Towards a Research Agenda for the Global Energy Transition. European Review of LAtin American and Caribbean Studies, 144: 137-146. Tunn, J. & Kalt, T. 2022. Shipping the Sunshine? A critical Research Agenda on the Global Energy Transition. GAIA, 31 (2): 72-76. close

Additional appointments

Thu, 2025-07-17 10:00 - 12:00