“Other(ed)” ocean knowledges: unlearning integration in ocean governance for recognitional justice

Abstract

There is an increasing call for the need to “integrate” Indigenous and local knowledge systems in ocean governance processes, on national and global scales. However, the knowledge systems, epistemes, and practices of different Indigenous and local coastal communities, whose stewardship of the planet sustains and protects marine ecosystems, pre‐date the institutionalised ocean sciences and governance with which they are meant to be integrated. The concept of integration often perpetuates othering and devaluation of various ocean knowledges that should not be subject to these problematic practices. Much of the current knowledge informing ocean governance is underpinned by colonial, military, and financial projects, in direct juxtaposition to epistemes and practices that are deeply interconnected with marine life. Writing from a marine social sciences perspective, we explore the inherent problems and limitations of integration approaches and propose reversing how we frame “knowledge” and its othering by suggesting that our scientific and governance practices are, in fact, “other” to longstanding ways of coexisting with the ocean. Without attempting to represent Indigenous knowledge systems or categorise these as unaware of scientific developments, we argue that researchers and scientists need to actively unlearn what is taught in prominent ocean sciences. By focusing on global governance through the International Seabed Authority and national ocean governance in South Africa, respectively, we explore knowledge othering and the process of unlearning what ocean governance teaches as knowledge integration to better critically consider how the ocean is, has been, and should be valued.

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