Mid-Atlantic Routes of Power: Energy Transitions Then and Now

Americans have not always been the world's most voracious consumers of fossil fuel energy. The monumental shifts to coal, oil, and electricity first took place in the mid-Atlantic region between 1820 and 1930. This talk explores the causes and consequences of these energy transitions focusing particularly on the role of transport infrastructure systems, the creation of demand, and the unequal distribution of social costs and benefits. In addition, the talk discusses what the past can tell us about the possibilities for future energy transitions. Christopher Jones is Assistant Professor in the School of Historical, Philosophical and Religious Studies at Arizona State University. For more info on Dr. Jones's scholarship and teaching, see: http://www.christopherfjones.com/