Hydrofeminist Thinking With Oceans: Political and Scholarly Possibilities

Hydrofeminist Thinking with Oceans brings together authors from South Africa to explore the political spaces of oceans and beaches, focusing on the violences of settler colonialism, land dispossession, slavery, and extractivism. The book offers valuable Southern contributions and rich situated narratives to hydrofeminist thinking, addressing globalized concerns for justice and environmental challenges. It provides ethico-political perspectives on research in ocean governance, policy development, and collective decision-making for ecological justice.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 230 pages
Publication date: 19 December 2023
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

Hydrofeminist Thinking with Oceans is a groundbreaking collection of essays that explores the interconnectedness of oceans, beaches, and South African contexts. By bringing together a diverse group of authors, the book offers alternative knowledge towards a just and flourishing world on a planetary scale.

The primary scholarly locations for this work are feminist new materialist and post-humanist thinking, with a specific focus on hydrofeminist thinking. The chapters in this book examine both land and water, recognizing oceans as powerful political spaces that are globally and locally entangled in the violences of settler colonialism, land dispossession, slavery, transnational labor exploitation, extractivism, and omnicides.

South Africa serves as a productive space for engaging in this scholarship, as there is a growing body of literature that examines the sea and bodies of water to critically analyze the damages of centuries of colonization and continued extractivist capitalism. However, there is limited work that explores this burgeoning thinking in global Southern and South African contexts.

This volume offers valuable Southern contributions and rich situated narratives to hydrofeminist thinking. It also brings diverse and marginalized knowledges to bear on the project of generating imaginative alternatives to hegemonic colonial and patriarchal logics in the academy and beyond. While primarily located in a South African context, the volume speaks well to globalized concerns for justice and environmental challenges in human societies and in relation to the natural world.

One of the key themes of the book is the recognition of the ocean as a site of resistance and resilience. The authors argue that oceans have been historically marginalized and exploited, but they also offer examples of how communities and individuals are working to reclaim and protect their coastal environments. They highlight the importance of oceanic logics, which emphasize the interconnectedness of humans, the ocean, and the environment, as a way to challenge dominant narratives and promote sustainable practices.

Another important theme is the exploration of the relationship between gender, race, and the ocean. The authors argue that the ocean has been a site of oppression and marginalization for marginalized communities, particularly women and people of color. They highlight the need for intersectional approaches that consider the multiple forms of discrimination and violence that intersect with oceanic experiences.

The book also explores the role of the ocean in shaping cultural and spiritual practices. The authors argue that the ocean has been a source of inspiration and creativity for many cultures, and they offer examples of how these practices are being revitalized and renewed in response to environmental challenges. They also discuss the challenges of preserving and protecting cultural heritage sites located in coastal environments.

Overall, Hydrofeminist Thinking with Oceans is a thought-provoking and important contribution to the field of environmental studies and social justice. It offers a fresh perspective on the interconnectedness of oceans, beaches, and South African contexts and provides valuable insights into the challenges and opportunities facing our planet today.

Weight: 382g
Dimension: 156 x 235 x 18 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781032408996