The Social Life of the Sea: Ecology, Conservation, & Justice

The ocean supports billions of people, provides food, and supports livelihoods, and is home to an extraordinary diversity of life. Yet marine ecosystems face growing pressures from overfishing, climate change, pollution, coastal development, and other forms of human use. How should we respond- and who gets to decide? In this course, we will explore marine conservation through conservation biology, political ecology, and feminist theory with a close lens on marine protected areas, fisheries management, aquaculture, community-based conservation, and marine spatial planning. Students will also consider how ecological processes, livelihoods, gender, governance, power, and justice shape conservation outcomes and, through case studies, compare different approaches and investigate what makes conservation work, or not.(Not open to students who have completed ENVS 1036.)