About this issue
What does history tell us about energy transitions? What do energy transitions tell us about the history of colonialism? This volume of RCC Perspectives presents five histories of colonial projects that transformed potential energy sources in Africa, Europe, North America, and Greenland into mechanical energy for wealth production. Social aspects are often left out of discussions on energy transitions, which are often dominated by economic, engineering, or science narratives. These essays provide a starting point for a larger conversation not only about colonialism or history, but also energy humanities.
How to cite: Mavhunga, Clapperton Chakanetsa, and Helmuth Trischler (eds.), “Energy (and) Colonialism, Energy (In)Dependence: Africa, Europe, Greenland, North America,” RCC Perspectives 2014, no. 5. doi.org/10.5282/rcc/6554.
Content
- Introduction by Clapperton Chakanetsa Mavhunga
- Energy, Industry, and Transport in South-Central Africa’s History by Clapperton Chakanetsa Mavhunga
- Coal and British Colonialism in Nigeria by Ihediwa Nkemjika Chimee
- The British Shaping of America’s First Fossil Fuel Transition by Christopher Jones
- Hydropower: The Unlikely Economic Base for the Complete Sovereignty of Greenland by Ingo Heidbrink
- Catalyst for Transition: The Anschluss, Kaprun, and a Dual Energy Transition, 1938–1955 by Marc Landry
