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Ad hoc coalitions in the U.S. energy sector: Case studies in the gas, oil, and coal industries

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 September 2018

Christian Downie Open the ORCID record for Christian Downie [Opens in a new window]
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Abstract

In the field of business and politics, research on the role of business actors in individual fossil fuel industries that contribute to climate change has been sparse. At the same time theorising the role of ad hoc coalitions has been limited even though they appear to be an important vehicle for business actors seeking to shape contemporary policy contests. This paper attempts to address these understudied areas by drawing on a rich empirical dataset to examine the role of three ad hoc coalitions in the U.S. energy sector. In doing so, it builds on the existing literature to establish a theoretical basis for identifying the defining elements of ad hoc coalitions and the conditions under which business actors decide to establish them. Further, it sheds light on how business actors use ad hoc coalitions in three key fossil fuel industries—gas, oil, and coal—to shape policy outcomes, and in turn shape the path to a clean energy transition.

Keywords

ad hoc coalitionsbusiness actorsUnited Statesenergyclimate
Type
Research Article
Information
Business and Politics , Volume 20 , Special Issue 4: Clean energy transitions in a global economy , December 2018 , pp. 643 - 668
Copyright
Copyright © V.K. Aggarwal 2018 and published under exclusive license to Cambridge University Press 

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Footnotes

Acknowledgements: Thank you to the editors and three anonymous reviewers for their very thoughtful comments on the paper. I would also like to acknowledge feedback from colleagues at the International Studies Association Annual Conference 2018 and I am grateful to the participants who agreed to be interviewed for this project. Alexis Farr provided helpful research assistance.

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