Social Energy Futures in the Global South: Geographies, Concepts, and Praxis

Abstract

Socioenvironmental research highlights the key role of communities and organizations in promoting sustainable and democratic energy systems. However, most of this emphasis has focused on modern industrialized societies. This article reviews research on energy alternatives conceptualized and practiced by movements and communities across the Global South. Based on the surveyed literature, we propose the concept of social energy futures (SEF) as an open-ended category to reflect on the drivers and features of these alternatives. As outlined, SEF are diverse and territorially situated, commonly encompassing three components: ( a ) they are largely needs-oriented, tending to prioritize use value over exchange value; ( b ) they involve broad political processes, defining how much energy should be harvested, through which technologies, by which actors, and for which purposes; and ( c ) they are part of broader identity struggles, reflecting how social actors actively organize to counteract colonial and corporate relations amid the energy and climate crisis. Taking these findings together, we propose an SEF analytical toolkit and outline future research themes to continue developing across diverse academic, cultural, and geographical settings.