The course highlights the ocean ‘tangibles’ and ‘intangibles’ such as sea creatures, fishing equipment, beliefs, heritage, customs, norms, values, customary laws and emotional attachments to the ocean and their effects on the ocean. The course also discusses the importance of institutional arrangement and policy processes for integrated ocean governance. The course will investigate the core components of the blue economy including its importance to sustainable development and the politics involved.
Objectives
The course’s aim is to enable students to:
- analyse the effects of contemporary and indigenous ‘tangibles’ and ‘intangibles’ on the oceans,
- evaluate the variants of social change and their role in the preservation and destruction of the ocean health,
- examine the interplay among the institutions of fisheries governance, and
- describe the politics of the blue economy and recall innovative provisions of the convention relevant to coastal management.
Content
The course aims to forge a knowledge base that is essentially legal but which also delves into the natural and social sciences to determine how an effective regulatory framework should operate. Students will be exposed to contemporary and indigenous issues in ocean governance as well as the institutional arrangements and ocean policy processes. In addition, the course will cover the politics of blue economy and conflict management, international law of the sea and coastal governance systems. Students will also learn from success stories in the regional and international governance of living marine resources.
Mode of Delivery
Delivery of the course will consist of face-to-face lectures, online lectures, laboratory work, fieldwork, seminars, class presentations and practical assignments.