Apply now to join the fall 2026 360 cohort of Energy Afterlives, which includes courses in Geology, Political Science, and Russian.
What comes in the wake of energy extraction and the petro-regime we live in now? This cluster will examine the afterlives of coal, oil, and nuclear energy through the lenses of the arts, political science, and earth science. In the arts course, students will consider how these three energy sources give shape to our lives in countless ways by exploring their place in literature, music, photography, creative nonfiction, and art; this approach will allow students to examine the personal, human elements of energy and extraction and their aftereffects. In the science course, through readings, specimen analyses, field sampling, and lab work, students will assess the geologic conditions under which these three energy sources form — and the long-term environmental consequences of their extraction. In the political science course, students will examine how communities have organized around places and responded to the afterlives of energy extraction. The cohort will travel to Southeast Alaska (tentatively scheduled October 9-17, 2026). Students will meet with Indigenous activists around fisheries (Herring Protectors), sample effects of climate change at Sitka Historic National Park, examine extractive colonial histories of Russian fur trade, and engage in discussions with Alaskan leaders about the effects and promises of the Alaska Permanent Fund. The field study requires walking long distances (often over one mile) over unpaved surfaces and rugged terrain. The climate will be cool and damp (rain and snow are likely), and some nights will be spent at elevations above 2000 ft. Additionally, the cohort will take a single-day trip to visit Coaldale, PA and will participate in a private film screening at the Bryn Mawr Film Institute during the semester.