Call for Papers | Ocean Justice

Ocean Justice: Addressing Crimes & Harms Against the Ocean with a Hopeful Vision for the Future

 

Special Issue for the International Journal for Crime, Justice and Social Democracy 

Guest Editors: Emiline Smith (University of Glasgow), Julie Berg (University of Glasgow) and Chloe Heys (University of Lancashire)

Summary 

The global ocean is being exploited on a large scale. The complexity, diversity and location of these crimes and harms make it extremely difficult for regulatory frameworks to address them effectively. Although international efforts have recently intensified to better protect and preserve marine life and increase our understanding of the human impact on the ocean, anthropogenic crimes and harms against the ocean persist and remain generally underresearched, underreported and underregulated.

Ocean justice seeks to create a more just and sustainable relationship between humans and the ocean, ensuring that benefits and responsibilities are shared fairly and that the health of marine ecosystems is maintained. But what would an inclusive justice approach focused on the ocean look like in policy or practice? And how can we better integrate environmental and social justice concerns into the study of ocean-related crimes and harms?

This special issue aims to shed light on anthropogenic crimes and harms against the ocean, ocean resilience, and the meaning of justice in relation to the ocean. We invite empirically-led, data-driven contributions that address such crimes and harms from a range of angles including academic or policy perspectives. The scope of this special issue focuses on crimes and harms against the ocean.

Submissions

To be considered, please submit a structured abstract (400 words max) covering objectives, methods, results, conclusions as well as a short biography (150 max) by 1 September 2025. Submissions will be selected based on their relevance to themes outlined in this special issue originality overall contribution to field.

All submissions - abstracts, drafts and finals submissions should be sent to oceanjustice2027@gmail.com

Submissions can include, but are not limited to:

Key Dates

Abstract due: 1 September 2025

Notification of decision: 1 November 2025

First draft due: 1 May 2026

Peer review and submissions: 1 September 2026

Final submissions due: 1 November 2026

Publication: 1 June 2027

All questions should be emailed to oceanjustice2027@gmail.com