Peak Oil
Apocalyptic Environmentalism and Libertarian Political Culture
In recent years, the concept of "peak oil" – the moment when global oil production peaks and a train of economic, social, and political catastrophes accompany its subsequent decline – has captured the imagination of a surprisingly large number of Americans, ordinary citizens as well as scholars, and created a quiet, yet intense underground movement. In "Peak Oil", Matthew Schneider-Mayerson takes readers deep inside the world of "peakists", showing how their hopes and fears about the postcarbon future led them to prepare for the social breakdown they foresee – all of which are fervently discussed and debated via websites, online forums, videos, and novels. By exploring the worldview of peakists, and the unexpected way that the fear of peak oil and climate change transformed many members of this left-leaning group into survivalists, Schneider-Mayerson builds a larger analysis of the rise of libertarianism, the role of oil in modern life, the political impact of digital technologies, the racial and gender dynamics of post-apocalyptic fantasies, and the social organization of environmental denial.
About the Author
Matthew Schneider-Mayerson is assistant professor of social sciences (environmental studies) at Yale-NUS College, Singapore.
Reviews
"This is a highly significant, original, and engaging book. Schneider-Mayerson provides a sophisticated analysis of the rise of libertarianism in the United States and articulates well how the struggle to form a collective response reflects a decline of trust in social institutions and the rise of individualism. 'Peak Oil' is well-written, compelling, and very timely. It will no doubt be of interest to readers both inside and outside of the academy" – Kari Marie Norgaard, author of "Living in Denial: Climate Change, Emotions, and Everyday Life"
"Schneider-Mayerson's inventive and illuminating study of the peak oil movement is just the kind of scholarly intervention we need now to help us grapple fully with the social and political challenges we face. If his exploration of the practices and beliefs of the 'Peakists' is cause for worry, it isn't because of how they view fossil fuels or its environmental impact. It's in the largely individual response of peak oil advocates to what is of necessity a collective problem. This mainstreaming of a libertarian ethos in the United States and elsewhere – on both right and left – should ring alarm bells. As much an analysis of contemporary US political culture as it is about the politics of climate change, 'Peak Oil' makes for a stellar addition to debates in which we all have a stake today" – Imre Szeman, University of Alberta
"From 'Mad Max' to 'Mad Men', this dead-on critique of long held beliefs about masculinity and traditions of American individualism and techno-optimism – all steadily becoming associated with a 'shift towards libertarianism' – is by turns entertaining, insightful, and troubling. The book clearly outlines how these traditions and beliefs present daunting challenges to communities interested in organizing and implementing effective and timely responses to accelerating global climate change" – Joni Adamson, co-editor of American Studies, Ecocriticism, and Citizenship
