pUnderstanding the history of energy and its evolving place of energy in society is essential to face the changing future of energy production. Across North and South America, national and localized understandings of energy as a common, public, or market good have influenced the development of energy industries. ppemEnergy in the Americasem brings the diverse energy histories of North and South American nations into dialogue with one another, presenting an integrated hemispheric framework for understanding the historical constructions of contemporary debates on the role of energy in society. Rejecting pat truisms, this collection historicizes the experiences of producers and policymakers and assesses the interplay between environmental, technological, political, and ideological influences within and between countries and continents.ppBreaking down assumptions about the evolution of national energy histories, emEnergy in the Americasem broadens and opens the conversation. De-emphasizing