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Framed by the escalating climate crisis, this seminar will focus on the social embeddedness of fossil fuels and the conditions of possibility for a renewable energy transition. Topics to be explored include the relationship between fossil fuels and capitalism; the character of previous historical energy transformations; climate denialism and the political power of the fossil fuel industry; the political and social challenges posed by fossil-fuel producing regions; contemporary proposals for a Green New Deal and "just transitions"; the challenges of siting energy infrastructure; and the social implications of various energy transition pathways associated with technologies such wind, solar, and carbon capture. Cases will be drawn from across the world. This will be a read-intensive seminar intended for advanced undergraduates and graduate students. Prior experience in social science recommended. Students will produce a final research paper on a topic and case of their choosing.