Ocean flows and chains: sea power and maritime empires within IR theory

Kevin Blachford

doi:10.1080/09557571.2022.2137466

Ocean flows and chains: sea power and maritime empires within IR theory

Kevin Blachford

Defence Studies

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

IR theory rests on territorial assumptions which shape our understanding of the nature of the state, the rise of the state system and the very concept of the international. The following paper asks, what if we moved away from a fixation on bounded territory to consider the influence of oceans and the maritime sphere? Humanity’s interaction with the sea has shaped history from the earliest known polities and early modern history, in particular, saw the rise of several great maritime powers. It was these movements across oceans which essentially shaped the modern world we know today, yet, the maritime sphere is virtually absent from IR theory. Security scholars may discuss piracy or projecting naval power, but this article aims to provide a more comprehensive treatment of incorporating a view of the oceans into IR theory. An examination of early modern maritime empires shows how the British empire developed by seeking to control ocean flows and circulations.

Original language	English
Journal	Cambridge Review of International Affairs
Early online date	9 Nov 2022
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1080/09557571.2022.2137466
Publication status	E-pub ahead of print - 9 Nov 2022

Access to Document

10.1080/09557571.2022.2137466

Cite this

@article{66305726b58e492bb03f34f582f304c4,

title = "Ocean flows and chains: sea power and maritime empires within IR theory",

abstract = "IR theory rests on territorial assumptions which shape our understanding of the nature of the state, the rise of the state system and the very concept of the international. The following paper asks, what if we moved away from a fixation on bounded territory to consider the influence of oceans and the maritime sphere? Humanity{\textquoteright}s interaction with the sea has shaped history from the earliest known polities and early modern history, in particular, saw the rise of several great maritime powers. It was these movements across oceans which essentially shaped the modern world we know today, yet, the maritime sphere is virtually absent from IR theory. Security scholars may discuss piracy or projecting naval power, but this article aims to provide a more comprehensive treatment of incorporating a view of the oceans into IR theory. An examination of early modern maritime empires shows how the British empire developed by seeking to control ocean flows and circulations.",

author = "Kevin Blachford",

year = "2022",

month = nov,

day = "9",

doi = "10.1080/09557571.2022.2137466",

language = "English",

journal = "Cambridge Review of International Affairs",

issn = "0955-7571",

publisher = "Routledge",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Ocean flows and chains: sea power and maritime empires within IR theory

AU - Blachford, Kevin

PY - 2022/11/9

Y1 - 2022/11/9

N2 - IR theory rests on territorial assumptions which shape our understanding of the nature of the state, the rise of the state system and the very concept of the international. The following paper asks, what if we moved away from a fixation on bounded territory to consider the influence of oceans and the maritime sphere? Humanity’s interaction with the sea has shaped history from the earliest known polities and early modern history, in particular, saw the rise of several great maritime powers. It was these movements across oceans which essentially shaped the modern world we know today, yet, the maritime sphere is virtually absent from IR theory. Security scholars may discuss piracy or projecting naval power, but this article aims to provide a more comprehensive treatment of incorporating a view of the oceans into IR theory. An examination of early modern maritime empires shows how the British empire developed by seeking to control ocean flows and circulations.

AB - IR theory rests on territorial assumptions which shape our understanding of the nature of the state, the rise of the state system and the very concept of the international. The following paper asks, what if we moved away from a fixation on bounded territory to consider the influence of oceans and the maritime sphere? Humanity’s interaction with the sea has shaped history from the earliest known polities and early modern history, in particular, saw the rise of several great maritime powers. It was these movements across oceans which essentially shaped the modern world we know today, yet, the maritime sphere is virtually absent from IR theory. Security scholars may discuss piracy or projecting naval power, but this article aims to provide a more comprehensive treatment of incorporating a view of the oceans into IR theory. An examination of early modern maritime empires shows how the British empire developed by seeking to control ocean flows and circulations.

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85141572496&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1080/09557571.2022.2137466

DO - 10.1080/09557571.2022.2137466

M3 - Article

SN - 0955-7571

JO - Cambridge Review of International Affairs

JF - Cambridge Review of International Affairs

ER -

Ocean flows and chains: sea power and maritime empires within IR theory

Abstract

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this