Bülent Gökay is Professor of International Relations and Head of the School of Politics, International Relations and the Environment (SPIRE) at Keele University, UK. He is the author (and co-author) of many books on global politics and oil, including The Politics of Caspian Oil (2001), 11 September 2001: War, Terror and Judgement (2003) and The New American Imperialism: Bush’s War on Terror and Blood for Oil (2005, with Vassilis K. Fouskas).

• 1. Essays: 1. Introduction: How Oil Fuels World Politics; 2. As Good as Gold: Oil and Global Political Economy Darrell Whitman; 3. Geopolitics of oil and Pipelines in the (Eurasian) Heartland Emre Iseri; 4. Oil and Power in the Caspian Sea Region: Supermajor Oil Companies and Geopolitics E.K. Mofford; 5. Oil in Flames: 'Production Sharing Agreements' (PSAs) and the Issue of 'Petroleum Nationalism' in Iraq Vassilis K. Fouskas; 6. Oil and Islam – Economic Distress and Political Opposition Øystein Noreng; 7. Oil Politics and Environmental Conflict: The Case of the Niger Delta, Nigeria Chukwumerije Okereke;2. A-Z Glossary; 3. Maps; 4. Statistics; 5. Select Bibliography.