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- 2011
Children's understandings of peak oil
Professor Bulent Gokay and Dr. Farzana Shain have received a British Academy Small Grant of £7,004 for a project titled 'Children's understandings of peak oil' (July, 2011). Some energy experts and academics suggest that we have already, or are about to, hit the peak of oil production (aka 'peak oil') - the point at which oil becomes increasingly more expensive to produce as demand rises and oil reserves enter terminal decline.
For societies and economies that are heavily dependent on oil, the future poses significant challenges - especially for children. This pilot study will address the ways in which local children understand the political, economic and social implications of peak oil in relation to their own and the lives of others. The project will draw on interviews with pupils aged 11-16 to research their perspectives on current and future challenges linked to the finite supply of oil with a particular focus on the implications for citizenship and sustainability. The research is funded for 13 months commencing in January 2012.
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