LAW8583 : Energy Justice: Theories, Systems, and Re-designing Policies
- Offered for Year: 2024/25
- Module Leader(s): Professor Darren McCauley
- Owning School: Newcastle Law School
- Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus
Semesters
Your programme is made up of credits, the total differs on programme to programme.
| Semester 1 Credit Value: | 20 |
| ECTS Credits: | 10.0 |
| European Credit Transfer System | |
Aims
The aim of this interdisciplinary module is to introduce the key components to energy law. It will enable students to apply key concepts of justice to technical systems of energy supply, consumption, and storage with the purpose of understanding where, how and when policy change can occur. It brings students through the key aspects of several energy systems, from fossil fuels to renewables, from energy storage systems to systems of consumption, and asks them to reflect upon the critical ethical, political, and legal decision-making points. Students will learn how to apply different schools of justice with the purpose of developing alternative practical policy solutions, and engage in re-balancing the energy justice trilemma of accessibility, availability, and sustainability. No prior knowledge of energy systems or justice theory is required to take this module.
Outline Of Syllabus
Energy Law: Past, present, and future
Understanding Energy Justice I: key theories, schools and concepts
Understanding Energy Justice II: affirmative, prohibitive, and transformative justice
Understanding Energy Justice III: policy, frameworks, and the energy justice trilemma
Fossil fuel systems: oil, coal, and gas
Low carbon systems: Nuclear and hydropower
Modern renewable systems: Wind and solar
Storage systems: Batteries and hydrogen
Systems of consumption: household, transport, and industry
The Debate: How to rebalance the global energy trilemma?
Changing the Global Energy System
Teaching Methods
Teaching Activities
| Category | Activity | Number | Length | Student Hours | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 60 | 1:00 | 60:00 | Individual research, skills (writing and oral) development, preparation, and completion of assessment |
| Guided Independent Study | Directed research and reading | 32 | 1:00 | 32:00 | Preparation for class by covering furthering readings for each seminar, which will include suggested journals, youtube channels, podcasts to check |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Small group teaching | 11 | 2:00 | 22:00 | Two one-hour sessions per week focused on student interaction with short targeted lectures throughout |
| Structured Guided Learning | Structured research and reading activities | 10 | 4:00 | 40:00 | Preparation for class by covering set readings for each seminar, first class will have no set reading |
| Guided Independent Study | Independent study | 40 | 1:00 | 40:00 | Reading, researching, viewing, reflecting, and synthesising material for each topic that goes beyond the set or further reading materials |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Scheduled on-line contact time | 6 | 1:00 | 6:00 | Q&A sessions spread throughout module structured around breakfast or lunch catchups, on-line most likely |
| Total | 200:00 |
Teaching Rationale And Relationship
The overall rationale is to inspire and motivate with co-created knowledge in small group teaching and structured readings to then expand knowledge further through partially structured and independent learning. More specific details on each activity are outlined below.
Small group teaching (KO1, SO1)* – 22 hours
Two one-hour sessions per week focused on student interaction with short, targeted lectures throughout the
module. The purpose is to establish a common grounding for all students on the importance of justice in energy
system management and the key ethical questions in global energy systems
Scheduled on-line contact time (KO1) – 6 hours
Q&A sessions spread throughout module structured around breakfast or lunch catchups, on-line most likely. The
purpose is to offer a space for students to interact with each other and the teacher as a shared reflection point on the core aspects of the course.
Structured research and reading activities (KO3, KO4, SO4, SO5) – 40 hours
Preparation for class by covering set readings for each seminar, first class will have no set reading. These readings are a structured opportunity for students to explore in more depth than in class, how political actors seek to exert influence, and the dilemmas they face, whilst reading up on the key debates surrounding the energy trilemma leading to associated skills development.
Assessment preparation and completion (primarily KO2, KO4, KO5, SO2, SO3, SO4, SO5) – 60 hours
Individual research, skills (writing and oral) development, preparation, and completion of formative and summative assessments. The formative assessments (oral and written) and summative assessment challenges students to develop a more in-depth knowledge and exploration of all topics.
Directed research and reading (KO3, SO4, SO5) – 32 hours
Preparation for class by covering furthering readings for each seminar, which will include suggested journals,
YouTube channels, podcasts to check. These are more targeted to the practical aspects of the course, getting better insights into political controversies, energy complexities and practical solutions.
Independent study (filling personal gaps on KO1-5, SO1-5) – 40 hours
Reading, researching, viewing, reflecting, and synthesising material for each topic that goes beyond the set or
further reading materials. This is expected to be different for each student, where the student is encouraged to use this time to fill gaps of knowledge or skills development.
*Please note that KO = Knowledge Outcome and SO = Skills Outcome
Assessment Methods
The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners
Other Assessment
| Description | Semester | When Set | Percentage | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Research paper | 1 | M | 100 | 3,500 word limit critically evaluating the energy justice trilemma in one country of your choice with the objective of developing policy recommendations |
Formative Assessments
Formative Assessment is an assessment which develops your skills in being assessed, allows for you to receive feedback, and prepares you for being assessed. However, it does not count to your final mark.
| Description | Semester | When Set | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essay | 1 | M | 500 words on what is energy justice |
| Oral Examination | 1 | M | Group debate on re-balancing the energy trilemma with verbal feedback |
Assessment Rationale And Relationship
The assessment provides the opportunity for students to demonstrate their knowledge both in terms of theoretical
understandings of justice and how to best apply key concepts and ideas to achieve sustainable transformations to
energy systems. All assessments require critical judgement and engagement with a wide range of primary and
relevant sources. Each individual assessment is outlined in further detail below.
Formative Assessments
• Essay, 500 words on what is energy justice (KO 1-2, SO 1-2)*
The first formative assignment is placed in the first half of the module to help students understand where they
should further develop knowledge on theoretical and conceptual aspects of energy justice. This assessment is
designed to give the student an idea of their current trajectory with regards to the foundational knowledge and
skills outcomes of the course.
• Oral examination, Group debate on re-balancing the energy trilemma with verbal feedback (KO 3-5, SO 3-5)
The second formative assignment takes place in the second half of the module to help students understand where
they should further develop knowledge on the applied and practical aspects of rebalancing the energy trilemma.
The assessment is designed to give the student an idea of the current trajectory on the more advanced and practical knowledge and skills outcomes of the course.
Summative Assessment
• Research paper (100%) 3,500-word limit critically evaluating the energy justice trilemma in one country of their choice with the objective of developing policy recommendations (All KOs and SOs)
The summative assignment is at the end of the module. Students are expected to undertake an in-depth exploration
into one national context of their choice and apply the knowledge learned from the entire syllabus. Each student
assesses the energy justice trilemma (accessibility, availability, and sustainability) of each country, looking at the (1) national energy mix and (2) policy/legal context, and then develops recommendations for improving the balance of the trilemma, before reflecting more broadly on what this means for understanding energy justice.
*Please note that KO = Knowledge Outcome and SO = Skills Outcome
Reading Lists
Timetable
- Timetable Website: www.ncl.ac.uk/timetable/
- LAW8583's Timetable