Petrocultures2017

"The character of contemporary life depends fundamentally on oil--a cheap, accessible, and rich source of energy that has fuelled the shape of our cities, manufacturing economies, global trade, auto-mobility, and more. And yet it is only over the past decade that full recognition of oil's social and cultural significance has become a prominent feature of everyday debate and discussion. Petrocultures: Oil, Politics, Culture offers a multifaceted analysis of the cultural, social, and political claims and assumptions that guide how we think and talk about oil. This interdisciplinary collection of essays offers a map of the complex and often contradictory ways in which oil has come to be positioned in public imaginaries around the world. While oil is a physical substance, it only holds the...