On 24 October, the Energy and Social Science Reading Group will meet online to discuss reading selections from Revolutionary Power: An Activist’s Guide to the Energy Transition (2021), with Jeanne Féaux de la Croix from the University of Bern as Discussant. It would be great to include you in the conversation.
Date: Friday October 24, 2025
Time: 1400h – 1530h CET (or 1300h – 1430h GMT)
Discussant: Jeanne Féaux de la Croix
Moderator: Mallory James
Readings: Baker, Shalanda. Revolutionary Power, selections as follows:Chapter 2: “Utility Reform: The Linchpin to Transforming the Energy System”; Chapter 6: “Access to Capital: A Way to End Solar Segregation”.
Shalanda Baker is a lawyer and law professor with deep expertise in equity-centered energy law. Formerly serving as the director of the Office for Energy Justice and Equity at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and co-founder of the Initiative for Energy Justice, Baker currently is the vice provost at the University of Michigan- School for Environment and Sustainability for sustainability and climate action. Arguing for a justice first approach to climate action, Baker reasons that those most marginalized by the current extractive fossil-fuel energy system must be at the forefront in designing how we restructure how energy is generated, accessed, and distributed in the transition towards clean energy. Our discussion will focus on utility reform (Chapter 2) and access to capital for clean energy development (Chapter 6) — addressing tangible ways that energy systems could be imagined otherwise. Whether you are a seasoned member of the Energy & Social Science Reading group or joining for the first time, Baker’s book promises to generate a rich discussion about the rebuilding of energy systems. This reading group is open to anyone interested in reading and discussing the latest publications focused on political ecology, political economy, and energy transitions. We are a network of scholars who convene virtually around every 6 weeks during the academic year to debate and discuss these texts. We will use the last five minutes of our call to vote on the next reading.
Please feel free to contact us with any questions ([email protected]) or to receive the Zoom link.
