Double Book Launch: Politics of the Ocean

To coincide with their paperback releases, a launch event was held on 26 April for Chris Armstrong, A Blue New Deal: Why We Need A New Politics for the Ocean , and Guy Standing, The Blue Commons: Rescuing the Economy of the Sea .

Chris Armstrong is Professor of Political Theory at the University of Southampton, and Guy Standing is Professorial Research Associate at SOAS London.

The event, held on Highfield Campus, was chaired by Giulia Champion , Anniversary Fellow at the University of Southampton, and featured short talks by Chris, Guy, and by Will McCallum . Will is the Executive Director of Greenpeace UK, where he has been Head of Oceans since 2015.

The authors outlined details of the origins and motivations behind their books, and highlighted key themes as well as their hopes for what might result from discussion around these topics.

Will McCallum further explored the impact and importance of these books and provided context of the relevance of discussion and progress around key issues related to the oceans. He drew from his extensive experience and witness of threats to the ocean and its exploitation, much of which has been first hand from remote corners of the world. Talks were followed by a time of fruitful Q&A and discussion.