Voices from the Sea

Voices from the Sea examines the relationship between human rights and ocean heritage through a wide range of scholarly, professional and community perspectives. It considers underwater cultural heritage, maritime knowledge, navigation traditions, cultural identity, environmental change and the rights of island and coastal communities. The volume argues that ocean heritage cannot be separated from questions of power, sovereignty and justice. Shipwrecks, sacred seascapes, ancestral routes, fishing grounds and maritime practices are not simply objects or traditions to be preserved. They remain part of living cultural worlds and are closely tied to memory, belonging, political claims and the right of communities to determine their own futures. Particular attention is given to voices that are often marginalised in international heritage law and policy, even though these communities are among those most affected by climate change, militarisation, displacement and environmental degradation. The book also addresses the place of underwater cultural heritage within global debates on identity, responsibility and the governance of the oceans. The contributors offer a broader understanding of ocean heritage, one that recognises the rights, knowledge and histories of the people most closely connected to the sea.