In recent years, human-shark encounters in the Indian Ocean have sparked highly controversial debates over humans’ right to the sea. While sharks pose a danger to humans that some wish to eliminate, at the same time, they are endangered themselves and demand protection as a crucial part of marine ecosystems. Hence, in an attempt to solve this conflict of interest, different technologies are currently developed and used to mediate human-shark encounters. While some technologies still aim at a clear separation between humans and sharks and thus focus on bordering the ocean, others, however, rather strive for a joint, yet less risky use of space. Taking the different technological innovations in use in the coastal waters of La Réunion as an example, this chapter examines the implications of these technologies for both humans and sharks, as well as for the relation between humans and the sea in this maritime contact zone. In asking whether these socio-technical interventions can be productively interpreted in light of post-humanist calls for more convivial relationships, this chapter contributes to current theoretical reflections on the relation between humans, technologies and the sea and their potential for less anthropocentric maritime spatial orderings.

错误:搜索内容不能为空,请输入英文关键词
错误:关键词超出字数限制,请精简
高级检索

Human-Shark Encounters Beyond Borders: (Post-humanist) Attempts to Navigate a Maritime Contact Zone

  • Julia Verne

摘要

In recent years, human-shark encounters in the Indian Ocean have sparked highly controversial debates over humans’ right to the sea. While sharks pose a danger to humans that some wish to eliminate, at the same time, they are endangered themselves and demand protection as a crucial part of marine ecosystems. Hence, in an attempt to solve this conflict of interest, different technologies are currently developed and used to mediate human-shark encounters. While some technologies still aim at a clear separation between humans and sharks and thus focus on bordering the ocean, others, however, rather strive for a joint, yet less risky use of space. Taking the different technological innovations in use in the coastal waters of La Réunion as an example, this chapter examines the implications of these technologies for both humans and sharks, as well as for the relation between humans and the sea in this maritime contact zone. In asking whether these socio-technical interventions can be productively interpreted in light of post-humanist calls for more convivial relationships, this chapter contributes to current theoretical reflections on the relation between humans, technologies and the sea and their potential for less anthropocentric maritime spatial orderings.