Why the Twenty-First Century Requires a New Science of Ocean Geopolitics: Towards the Recognition of Ocean Geopolitics as an Autonomous Multidisciplinary Discipline

Why the Twenty-First Century Requires a New Science of Ocean Geopolitics: Towards the Recognition of Ocean Geopolitics as an Autonomous Multidisciplinary Discipline is the second publication in the Ocean Geopolitics Centre Working Paper Series. The paper argues that the profound strategic transformation of the world's oceans has created the conditions for the emergence of Ocean Geopolitics as an autonomous multidisciplinary scientific discipline. It examines the limitations of existing disciplinary approaches, proposes a conceptual definition of Ocean Geopolitics, develops its scientific architecture, identifies its principal research domains and discusses its implications for universities, governments and international organisations. The paper concludes that the Ocean Century requires not only new maritime policies and governance models, but also a new scientific framework capable of integrating geopolitics, international relations, maritime strategy, international law, ocean science, economics, technology, environmental studies and strategic foresight into a coherent analytical discipline.