Lakshman Guruswamy's research is primarily focused on the 'energy poor' who number almost 1.5 billion people. They have little or no access to modern energy for cooking, heating, water sanitation, illumination, transportation, or basic mechanical needs. His work defines the relevance of law in delineating conceptual and practical answers as to why and how law is of foundational and operational importance in forging political, social, economic, engineering and technological solutions. Lakshman's work makes a rational and coherent case for using international and national laws for this purpose. His work fills a significant interdisciplinary gap in the existing literature by providing theoretical, philosophical, and technological examinations of the issues surrounding poverty, and makes the case for access to energy using non-hydrocarbon, affordable sustainable energy technologies (ASETs).
keywords
international environmental law, energy, poverty, sustainable development, oil, international law, international relations
LAWS 6510 - International Environmental Law
Primary Instructor
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Spring 2018 / Spring 2019
Examines international environmental law, including transboundary impacts and global issues. Addresses such issues as intergenerational equities, principles of compensation, and if international environmental norms should receive special environmental norm consideration. A course in public international law is not a prerequisite, but students who have not taken such a course will probably find it useful to do some additional background reading. Offered in alternate years.
LAWS 8320 - Seminar: Oil and International Relations
Primary Instructor
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Fall 2018 / Fall 2019 / Fall 2020
Addresses the extent to which the international community of nations is oil dependent. Assesses the impact and the geopolitical dangers to international relations arising from the expanding demand for scarce oil from developing, as well as developed, economies.
