Complexities: Ocean

Catalog description

The ocean is, obviously, internally complex: marine ecosystems themselves are vast networks of species, down to the microorganism. Marine data science is crucial to measuring environmental change; for instance, polar ice shrinking constitutes key evidence for global warming. The study of oceans also enables the exploration of human migratory patterns, including forced migration and colonialism. Literary and artistic engagement—from Moby-Dick to the photography of the Swahili coast—bring to the fore the challenges confronting representations of oceans and oceanic culture, and reveal dimensions of both that elude empirical methods.Attention to how those who make their lives and livelihoods near and on the ocean—from groups of fishermen in Newark, New Jersey to Māori communities in New Zealand—sheds light on forms of social organizations more generally. Throughout the course, scholars address the ethical challenges of sustainable development, scientific exploration, ethnographic study, and artistic representation, as well as the implications of current decision-making for future generations.