New Outlook for the Ocean and Maritime Humanities and Social Sciences

Peace and development remain the two themes of top concern in the twenty-first century, but numerous inextricable disputes and conflicts render the world we live in far from being an ideal global village. The kaleidoscopic and panoramic world of today has aroused concerns and reflections from multiple angles. One of the hot issues is maritime development. Maritime development effects social changes through human being’s direct or indirect exploration and exploitation of the ocean. Throughout history, human civilizations have emerged locally, giving rise to different styles of civilization in different regions, nations, and countries. Maritime culture, parallel to land-based culture, refers to different patterns of individual and collective ocean-related practices in the process of maritime development. As a natural entity, the ocean is fair to all littorals without discrimination, whether open or closed.