Energy Security and Global Politics: The Militarization of Resource Management

This book aims to understand the military dimensions of energy security in the contemporary world. Above all, it is concerned with the circumstances under which market mechanisms begin to break down, such that the acquisition and control of energy resources become subject, in varying degrees, to the implicit or explicit use of force by producing or consuming states. The central issue of the book is therefore the challenges and problems that may be anticipated to arise if the market relationships that currently prevail in the energy arena are replaced by various forms of strategic conduct by states - conduct in which the use of force is not ruled out. The volume does not seek to build scenarios or predict the future, and it is certainly not an argument that the militarization of energy security is looming or likely, but it does attempt to grasp the full range of problems that would arise should the international system begin to drift toward a militarized approach to the management of energy resources. To that extent, it aims to make apparent a range of risks that may be too easily discounted by those who believe that modern energy markets are so efficient and fungible that they can adapt to almost any degree of geo-political strain.This book will be of much interest to students of energy policy, international security, US foreign policy and International Relations in general.Russell, James A. is the author of 'Energy Security and Global Politics: The Militarization of Resource Management' with ISBN 9780415776387 and ISBN 0415776384.