China and India in Energy and Environmental Politics
China and India are in the limelight due to the fast growth of their already large economies in the last decades. This rapid growth has not only been accompanied by the industrialization of these countries. It also has gone hand in hand with massive transformations with regard to social development, environment and consumption structures. Specifically, the increasing demand for energy and the ongoing exploitation of the environment are of serious concern to Western as
well as Asian scholars.
Nationally, China and India are both dependent on a secure energy supply to keep their economies afloat. Faced by global economic pressures, they are to some extent pursuing national economic policies, which are environmentally disastrous. Yet, the environmental and energy related problems exhibit both similarities and significant differences. At the same time, China and India are designing, implementing and enforcing environmental policies. Here, too, we can notice differences in foci, stringency and questions of implementation and enforcement. From a comparative political economy perspective, it is therefore interesting to inquire into the socioeconomic, political, and cultural determinants of the specific nature of China’s and India’s energy and environmental problems and the solutions pursued.
In addition, China’s and India’s environmental and energy concerns are also interesting from an international political economy perspective. How does the international political and economic system interact with the national level of energy and environmental politics in both countries? After all, China’s and India’s environmental exploitation and energy demand also have a growing impact on other states.
Moreover, they have become important players (even if potential veto players) in global energy and environmental politics. Then again, global developments and challenges such as climate change, affect China and India as well. What, then, is the connection between global agendas and national policies? Can global governance effectively address national causes of environmental problems? What role do China and India play in global energy and environmental politics? And how do global developments affects China’s and India’s national policy choice sets and decisions?
This international conference intends to address the political economy of energy and environmental issues in and of China and India from a theoretical and empirical perspective. Contributions may derive from a political science background or adjacent disciplines.
Relevant paper topics include:
- empirical analyses of energy related and environmental change and policy in China and India, especially from a comparative perspective
- analyses of the interaction between national and international actors and interests in energy and environmental politics at the different levels of governance
- theoretical inquiries (in particular those based on constructivism and critical theory)
- analyses of necessary scientific and political innovations deriving from the rise of China and India to global players in economic, energy related and environmental terms
The conference is to take place in Münster, Germany, June, 18-19, 2009.
Funding for travel and accommodation will be sought, but cannot be guaranteed at this point.
Proposals (400 words) should be submitted to Prof. Doris Fuchs, Ph.D., Institut für Politikwissenschaft, Westfälische-Wilhelms-Universität, Scharnhorststr. 100, 48151 Münster or doris.fuchs@uni-muenster.de by October 15, 2008.
