Blue criminology, southern blue criminology and oceanic harms

Session Submission Type: Roundtable

Abstract

This roundtable discussion will reflect on the recent field of blue criminology and southern blue criminology as novel theoretical and conceptual lenses by which to engage with oceanic harms. The complex and transnational nature of oceanic harms elicit governance challenges that transcend conventional crime-centric or state-centric approaches. The roundtable will discuss theoretical and methodological approaches that focus on the ocean as both a victim of criminal and harmful acts, but also as an agent in these behaviours, exploring the challenges of human-driven harms to the ocean but also the ocean-as-actant as the source of harm. This is particularly timely because of the urgency for accelerated action due to harmful consequences of climate change (especially to ocean health, with far-reaching consequences for marine ecosystems and human communities) and the current global political focus on ocean protection (e.g. the 30x30 target).
This roundtable will therefore reflect on what blue and southern blue criminology encompasses, the contextual reality of contemporary oceanic harms, the challenges they present, and the implications for an oceanic ‘justice’.

Subtopic

• Topic 1: Perspectives on Crime and Criminal Behavior / Critical Criminology

Chair

• Emiline Smith, University of Glasgow

Discussants

• Annette Hübschle, University of Cape Town

• Julie Berg, University of Glasgow

• Angus Nurse, Anglia Ruskin University