Human Dimensions of Ocean Conservation
The planet we call home is dominated by one feature: the oceans. This makes us Ocean People. In this course, we will unpack what that means by examining the historical and contemporary human relationship with the ocean. The ocean is a source of human culture connection, and curiosity. It is also the site of past and present injustices. While focusing on contemporary conservation and management issues, we will also explore the complex interrelationships between human culture and society and ocean issues. These relationships are embedded in the broader issues of cultural values, social structures, and social change and subsequently have important impacts on planning, management, and policy. This course draws on diverse material, highlighting the necessity of multiple perspectives in addressing ocean conservation.
Topics
- Analyze the ocean as a socially constructed domain by evaluating how cultural values, power structures, and historical contexts shape human-ocean relationships.
- Identify and explain the dominant sectors of human-ocean interaction (fisheries, tourism, shipping, recreation) and the governance mechanisms that regulate these relationships.
- Synthesize perspectives from natural sciences, social sciences, and humanities to create compelling narratives about ocean conservation challenges.
- Evaluate ocean conservation policies and practices using environmental justice frameworks and equity criteria.
- Apply interdisciplinary analysis to a specific ocean conservation case study, demonstrating understanding of interactions among multiple UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs 10, 11, 13, 14, 17).
Official roster learning outcomes
Sources
- Course catalogue ↗2026-2027
- Catalogue entry ↗
Catalogue variants
- Human Dimensions of Ocean Conservation · 3.0 · Graduate