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Professor Emeritus Alan Richards

Alan Richards has had a distinguished [33]-year teaching career, first in the Economics Department and more recently in Environmental Studies. His class, Blood and Oil: Energy, the Middle East, and War, is legendary on campus. His experience living in the Middle East and working at the World Bank, the United Nations, and the Agency for International Development informs his teaching, as does his interdisciplinary approach to scholarship. He is known for fast-paced, beautifully structured, powerfully delivered lectures sprinkled with moments of brilliant humor.

"The readings he assigned were superb and still occupy important places on my shelves," said an alumnus who now teaches at Cornell University.

A student in the Blood and Oil class said, "Some classes are difficult to sit through, but in his, it's 'tell me more.'"

- Gwen Mickelson, UCSC News & Events, March 2009

Blood and Oil

Soldier in burning oil field

Environmental Studies 144 "Blood and Oil: Energy, The Middle East, and War" was last taught by Alan Richards in winter 2010. The video recordings of his lectures are available on DVD, which includes the course syllabus and PowerPoint slide presentations from the course.

The DVD is $20, and payable through the University's secure donation site. If you are interested in purchasing the DVD, please contact envs1@ucsc.edu: include "Blood and Oil DVD" in the subject line of your email.

Click on the links below to download materials:

ENVS 144 Syllabus (winter 2010)

Reference Atlases:

Middle East Reference Atlas

Israeli-Palestinian Tragedy Part I

Israeli-Palestinian Tragedy Part II

Oil and Energy Crisis Lectures: (zip files, ~195 MB each) available as a free download - FORTHCOMING!

You are free to use this material for educational purposes only.

Questions/comments, please email the Environmental Studies Department at UCSC.