The Energy Security Paradox: Rethinking Energy (In)security in the United States and China

This book tackles a crucial aspect of international politics: the politics of energy security. The field has been dominated by conventional approaches to the subject, that are both centred on national security and on making sure that states have enough energy. This book takes a radically different approach, questioning what it means to consider energy as a security issue and what happens when we do. In the process, it demonstrates that energy security is approached in ways that cause widespread insecurity for states, human beings, and the environment: this is the Energy Security Paradox. Drawing on in-depth empirical research, it focuses on the United States and China, the top energy consumers and producers. Based on this, it proposes a radical reconsideration of how we approach and practice energy security.