Blue Legalities

This collection examines the ocean as a complex legal and political space, exploring how governance interacts with ecological and technological processes, and highlighting the challenges of regulating marine environments. Blue Legalities offers interdisciplinary insights into these critical issues.

Blue Legalities delves into the complexities of the ocean as a space fraught with legal and political tensions. The contributors examine how various systems of governance intersect with intricate geophysical, ecological, economic, biological, and technological processes that shape the maritime environment. The ocean, along with its diverse inhabitants, challenges conventional understandings of law, prompting a re-evaluation of regulatory frameworks in light of these unique dynamics.

Inspired by the growing interest in marine studies within the social sciences and humanities, the book covers a wide range of topics. These include the militarization of marine spaces, indigenous Maori perspectives, the construction of artificial islands in the South China Sea, and advancements in underwater robotics. Through these varied lenses, Blue Legalities highlights the significant and often unusual challenges posed by the need to regulate the ocean’s turbulent materialities and the lives it supports.

Beyond simply analyzing legal structures, the chapters collectively suggest that the ocean plays a crucial role in shaping terrestrial institutions and governance models. By engaging with the concept of the more-than-human ocean, the contributors encourage readers to reconsider their knowledge and assumptions about the seas, our planet, and our place within it. This interdisciplinary exploration invites a deeper understanding of the intricate relationship between law, ecology, and the multifaceted realities of ocean life.