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Though "The Prize" is relatively "expensive" right now, it's just one of 10 books I recommend for understanding the global politics of oil
[THREAD] https://twitter.com/ProfPaulPoast/status/1252329119955771392
[THREAD] https://twitter.com/ProfPaulPoast/status/1252329119955771392
First, @DanielYergin's "The Prize" is worth every penny. It's the book that made me want to study international politics. Whenever an undergrad asks me "what else do you recommend I read to learn about international politics", this book is #1 https://www.amazon.com/Prize-Epic-Quest-Money-Power/dp/1439110123
Second, since "The Prize" is more historical, a great overview of the current state of energy politics is offered by @ProfBShaffer in "Energy Politics" https://www.amazon.com/Energy-Politics-Brenda-Shaffer/dp/0812221664
Third, Michael Oren's "Power, Faith, and Fantasy". This book situates the Middle East and North Africa as having always been central to US foreign policy (and even to the development of the US itself)
https://www.amazon.com/Power-Faith-Fantasy-America-Present/dp/0393330303
https://www.amazon.com/Power-Faith-Fantasy-America-Present/dp/0393330303
Fourth, staying focused on the US, there is David Spiro's @CornellPress book, "Hidden-Hand of American Hegemony", which goes into great detail about how the US-Saudi relationship
https://www.amazon.com/Hidden-Hand-American-Hegemony-International/dp/080142884X
https://www.amazon.com/Hidden-Hand-American-Hegemony-International/dp/080142884X
Fifth, a book that's not yet out, but I've seen earlier versions of the argument is @RKelanic new @CornellPress book on why great powers bother "securing" oil supplies when they could simply buy it off the global market https://www.amazon.com/Black-Gold-Blackmail-Great-Politics/dp/1501748297
Sixth, from the producer's side, there is @JeffDColgan's "Petro-aggression": showing the conditions under which having oil money makes a state more willing to take risks in crisis bargaining (and, hence, war)
https://www.amazon.com/Petro-Aggression-When-Oil-Causes-War/dp/1107654971
https://www.amazon.com/Petro-Aggression-When-Oil-Causes-War/dp/1107654971
Seventh, and still on the producer side, is Michael Ross's seminal work on the Oil Curse: when and why having oil impedes states from becoming democratic. https://www.amazon.com/Oil-Curse-Petroleum-Development-Nations-ebook/dp/B007AIXLIS
Eighth, for an alternative view to the Oil Curse, definitely need to read "Oil is NOT a Curse" by Pauline Jones Luong & @esweinthal
https://www.amazon.com/Oil-Not-Curse-Institutions-Comparative/dp/0521148081
https://www.amazon.com/Oil-Not-Curse-Institutions-Comparative/dp/0521148081
Ninth, much of the above doesn't deal with all of the resources (including oil) suddenly available in the Arctic. That's why I'm very excited for Jonathan Markowitz's new book: https://www.amazon.in/Perils-Plenty-Arctic-Resource-Competition/dp/0190078251
Tenth, discussing global oil markets requires a discussion of, well, oil markets. Great new primer from @ColumbiaUP by Xiaoyi Mu https://www.amazon.com/Economics-Oil-Gas-Big-Business-ebook/dp/B081VNVV72
That's 10. Lot more work produced and being produced on this topic.
As I like to say, "As goes the price of oil, so goes the global economy." These books will help you understand why!
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As I like to say, "As goes the price of oil, so goes the global economy." These books will help you understand why!
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