Level 88
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Geopolitics, Power, and Global Conflict

Resource Geopolitics and Energy Security

A survey of how control over oil, gas, and critical minerals shapes international relations and national security strategy, from OPEC and pipeline politics to rare earths, sanctions, and the emerging geopolitics of the energy transition.

60-Second Review

Express review

A condensed, point-by-point summary of the module, for reviewing right before a test or exam.

  1. Oil Geopolitics and OPEC. OPEC, founded in 1960, has used coordinated output policy to shape world oil prices and politics.
  2. Natural Gas Pipelines and Supply Leverage. Fixed pipeline infrastructure ties gas producers and consumers together, creating durable strategic leverage.
  3. Rare Earth Elements and Technology Supply Chains. China's dominance in rare earth processing gives it leverage over global high-technology supply chains.
  4. Food Security as a Geopolitical Weapon. Grain exports and blockades have repeatedly been used as instruments of state power and coercion.
  5. Water as a Strategic Resource. Transboundary rivers and dams create durable friction and leverage between upstream and downstream states.
  6. Sanctions and Resource-Based Economic Pressure. States increasingly weaponize resource-linked sanctions to coerce rivals without direct military force.
  7. The Resource Curse Revisited. Resource wealth often correlates with weaker governance and growth, though the causal mechanisms remain debated.
  8. The Geopolitics of the Energy Transition. Shifting from fossil fuels to renewables and batteries is reshaping which states hold energy leverage.

This module continues after "Military Geography and Strategic Territory" in the syllabus. If you haven't reviewed it yet, it may help set the context.

Key points

Visual module map

1Oil Geopolitics and OPEC
2Rare Earth Elements and Technology Supply Chains
3Water as a Strategic Resource
4Sanctions and Resource-Based Economic Pressure
5The Geopolitics of the Energy Transition

Alternative visual view: a simplified sequence of some of the module's key points, in their order within the syllabus.

Your module mastery

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Approximate breakdown by skill
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A rough estimate based on the key points reviewed, not an exact measurement of actual mastery.

Final test

You need to review all key points to unlock the final test.

Optional mini-games

Extra practice, with no penalty, to reinforce the module's content.

Review Flashcards

Review each key point with cards that flip to reveal the summary.

Memory

Match each concept with its definition in as few attempts as possible.

Time Attack

Answer true or false statements before time runs out.

Chronological Order

Put the module's key points back in their original order.

Further reading

Bibliography and cited sources used to create this module.

  • Yergin, D. (2020). The New Map: Energy, Climate, and the Clash of Nations. New York: Penguin Press.
  • Ross, M.L. (2012). The Oil Curse: How Petroleum Wealth Shapes the Development of Nations. Princeton: Princeton University Press.
  • Mulder, N. (2022). The Economic Weapon: The Rise of Sanctions as a Tool of Modern War. New Haven: Yale University Press.
  • International Energy Agency. (2021). The Role of Critical Minerals in Clean Energy Transitions. Paris: IEA.
  • Sachs, J.D. and Warner, A.M. (2001). "The Curse of Natural Resources." European Economic Review, 45(4-6), 827-838.
  • Collier, P. and Hoeffler, A. (2004). "Greed and Grievance in Civil War." Oxford Economic Papers, 56(4), 563-595.