BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – When we think about energy, we tend to think of technologies, like wind turbines, pipelines, or cars. But underlying all technologies are people, and the human dimensions of energy are fraught with inequities. These are the subjects of a new podcast, Just Energy, developed by O’Neill School Professor Sanya Carley.
Carley, an energy justice professor and director of the O’Neill School’s Master of Public Affairs (MPA) program, collaborated with MPA students to develop Just Energy, which explores topics that include energy (in)justice, its racial and social dimensions, and how to make future energy policy more inclusive by design.
“While we like to think about the winners produced by our energy systems, such as those who install new solar panels, the sources of loss, specifically the people who bear the burden of loss, are often ignored,” said Carley. “Our energy systems are built on the backbone of vulnerable populations, including those who work in legacy fossil fuel industries, such as coal miners, and those who reside next to power plants. There is an immense need to highlight their stories and discuss how to improve energy conditions for these vulnerable populations, and that’s what Just Energy is all about.”
Hosted by Carley, Just Energy features voices of leaders and scholars who have devoted their careers to studying and improving the energy conditions facing marginalized and under-represented groups as well as experts conducting cutting-edge research in the field, and speaks to issues of social equity, racism, and public health. The podcast is intended for all audiences, from government officials and students of energy and public affairs to the general public and, broadly, anyone who cares about our world.
“This podcast is an opportunity for everyone to not only learn about energy justice but also consider the human side of our energy and climate systems,” said Carley. “I hope it inspires others to address these issues in their own studies and work.”
The eight-edition podcast is produced by Violet Baron, a student at the Indiana University Media School.
Episode 1 was released on February 1, 2022, with subsequent episodes to be released each week thereafter.
Just Energy
Hosted by O’Neill Professor Sanya Carley
Listen on Anchor or Spotify.
(Also available on Apple Podcasts and Stitcher.)
Episode 1: Here on Just Energy
Released: February 1, 2022
Welcome to the Just Energy podcast, where we talk about just how just our energy systems are.
Episode 2: What is energy justice with guest Jacqueline Patterson, Founder and Executive Director of the Chisholm Legacy Project
Released: February 8, 2022
In this episode, Jacqui Patterson talks with us about the underpinnings of energy justice, including dimensions of public health, race, gender, and climate change.
Episode 3: Energy poverty and energy insecurity with Destenie Nock, Assistant Professor at Carnegie Mellon University
Released: February 15, 2022
In this episode, Destenie Nock discusses her research and personal experience with energy insecurity, as well as her reflections on student mentorship and “black electricity”.
Episode 4: Indigenous communities and energy resources with Andrew Curley, Assistant Professor at the University of Arizona
Released February 22, 2022
In this episode, Andrew Curley speaks with us about the Navajo Nation’s experience with notions and the politics of a just transition, as well as his reflections on performing ethnographic research.
Episode 5: The decarbonization divide with Benjamin Sovacool, Professor at the University of Sussex
Released March 1, 2022
In this episode, we talk with Benjamin Sovacool about how the most toxic and least safe aspects of energy resources (e.g., e-waste facilities and mining operations) are borne by those who do not have the benefit of consuming those resources, as well as his reflections on being an author of the most recent IPCC report.
Episode 6: The decline of coal communities with Julia Haggerty, Associate Professor at Montana State University
Released March 8, 2022
In this episode, Julia Haggerty talks to us about her research on coal community transitions in the American West, and the deep economic, social, and cultural implications for these communities.
Episode 7: Racism and transitions in the automotive industry with Keith Cooley, Management Consultant and former employee of GM
Released March 15, 2022
In this episode, Keith Cooley shares professional experiences and reflections on both the past and the future of the American automotive industry as it transitions toward low-carbon and electric vehicles and simultaneously grapples with a long history of racism.
Episode 8: Who has access to clean technologies with David Konisky, Lynton K. Caldwell Professor at Indiana University
Released March 22, 2022
In this episode, we chat with David Konisky about who has access, and importantly who does not have access, to low-carbon and efficient technologies and how these trends relate to other energy disparities.
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