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The ocean as frontier
Author(s) -
Steinberg Philip E.
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
international social science journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.237
H-Index - 43
eISSN - 1468-2451
pISSN - 0020-8701
DOI - 10.1111/issj.12152
Subject(s) - frontier , politics , realisation , closure (psychology) , space (punctuation) , political science , sociology , political economy , law , computer science , physics , quantum mechanics , operating system
This editorial explores how the concept of the frontier calls attention to the ocean as a space of both opening and closure. Whilst the new opportunities suggested by a frontier imply an opening, the realisation of these opportunities typically requires a degree of (en)closure. At the same time, however, because spaces like the ocean cannot easily be enclosed by existing political institutions, the frontier opens new spaces for regulatory and, ultimately, ethical innovations. In short, while there is much to be concerned about in the opening of the ocean as a “frontier”, this opening also presents political opportunities.