Imre Szeman

Imre Szeman serves as Professor of English Language and Literature within the Department of Drama and Speech Communication at the University of Waterloo, Canada, where his work critically examines the cultural and social transformations required for energy transition away from oil dependency.

His research spans interdisciplinary domains including:

• Energy Humanities as a field analyzing cultural narratives of energy systems
• Petrocultures studies investigating oil's societal entanglements
• Critical theory applications to environmental crises
• Political philosophy frameworks for sustainable transitions
• Globalization's impact on energy cultures

Szeman's recent scholarship, particularly the 2017 trilogy of co-edited volumes, established core methodologies for examining energy through humanistic lenses. His work consistently connects theoretical frameworks with material realities of fossil fuel dependence, emphasizing how cultural production shapes and is shaped by energy systems across geopolitical contexts.