Call for Papers - Reimagining the Blue Economy: Dynamics, Tensions, and Futures
Special Issue – Journal of Studies in Dynamics and Change (JSDC)
ISSN: 2348-7038 | Open Access | No Publication Fee
Expected Publication of the issue: January-March 2026
Call for Papers
The Journal of Studies in Dynamics and Change (JSDC) invites scholarly contributions for a Special Issue on “Reimagining the Blue Economy: Dynamics, Tensions, and Futures.”
The Blue Economy has emerged as a powerful development narrative promising sustainable growth, technological innovation, and new frontiers of marine resource utilisation. Yet beneath this optimistic discourse lie complex political economy dynamics that shape how benefits, risks, and responsibilities are distributed. Coastal communities face displacement, industrial actors influence governance frameworks, and states pursue strategic ambitions in increasingly contested maritime spaces. At the same time, climate change, biodiversity loss, and ocean degradation intensify pressures on marine ecosystems, demanding stronger regulatory architectures and more inclusive decision-making. This Special Issue seeks to critically re-examine the Blue Economy by foregrounding questions of power, equity, and justice. It aims to highlight how competing interests, institutional arrangements, geopolitical tensions, and environmental limits determine the futures being imagined, and contested, across oceans and coasts. By bringing together interdisciplinary scholarship, the issue aspires to generate grounded, policy-relevant insights for more democratic and sustainable marine futures.
We invite submissions from economics, political science, development studies, sociology, environmental science, geography, public policy, international relations, and allied fields.
Suggested Sub-Themes
1. Power, Property, and Access in the Blue Economy
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- Political economy of marine commons vs. enclosure of ocean spaces
- Legal regimes, rights, and contested claims over coasts and seas
- Conflicts between small-scale users and large corporate/industrial actors
2. State, Capital, and Governance Architectures
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- Role of the state in shaping blue growth agendas
- Blue Economy as a development model: rhetoric vs. reality
- Regulatory capture, institutional gaps, and governance failures
- Public–private partnerships and the political economy of investment flows
3. Labour, Livelihoods, and Inequalities
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- Fisher communities and coastal labour markets
- Gendered dimensions of marine work
- Displacement, dispossession, and marginalisation under coastal megaprojects
- Social protection and labour rights in blue industries
4. Geopolitics, Maritime Strategy, and Ocean Power
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- Indo-Pacific politics and strategic competition in marine spaces
- Maritime borders, resource conflicts, and naval presence
- Role of international agencies, alliances, and global governance frameworks
5. Political Ecology of Marine Resources and Ecosystems
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- Ecological limits, overextraction, and environmental degradation
- Biodiversity politics: MPAs, conservation zones, and exclusions
- Climate change impacts, erosion, and disaster vulnerability
6. The Political Economy of Blue Infrastructure
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- Port-led development, logistics corridors, and coastal SEZs
- Infrastructure imperialism and global capital flows
- Debt, dependence, and sustainability of maritime mega-investments
7. Deep-Sea Mining, Ocean Energy, and Technological Frontiers
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- Distribution of benefits and risks among stakeholders
- Corporate interests, state ambitions, and environmental uncertainties
- Emerging governance regimes and global contestations
8. Tourism, Culture, and Coastal Transformations
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- Power dynamics in coastal tourism economies
- Land commodification, cultural erasure, and local resistance
- Financing models and uneven development outcomes
9. Blue Finance, Greenwashing, and Development Narratives
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- Political economy of blue bonds, climate finance, and impact investing
- Branding of “sustainable” blue growth and its contradictions
- Metrics, measurement, and the politics of valuation
10. Futures, Alternatives, and Transformative Pathways
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- Indigenous and community-led ocean governance
- Post-growth and just-transition frameworks in marine contexts
- Coexistence models, multi-stakeholder dialogues, and inclusive futures
11. Comparative and Regional Analyses
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- Indian Ocean Rim, Indo-Pacific, South Asia, Africa, and Latin America
- Lessons from island nations, delta regions, archipelagos, and coastal cities
- Transboundary governance and regional political economy dynamics
Important Dates
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- Submission Opens: Immediately
- Peer Review Decision: Within 2-4 weeks of submission
- Special Issue Publication: January-March 2026 (Expected)
Submission Guidelines
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- Manuscripts must be original and not under review elsewhere.
- The style of writing should be APA
- There is no strict word limit. Although we appreciate a length of around 6,000 words for full research articles and about 2,000 words for short communications, authors should not feel constrained by these indicative limits.
- For other details, kindly follow JSDC Author Guidelines: https://jsdconline.com/journal/jsdc/index.php/home/about/submissions
- All submissions undergo double-blind peer review.
- Published articles are open access with no publication fee.
Submission Portal
For queries related to the Special Issue, contact:
Managing Editor, JSDC
Email: jsdc@jsdconline.com
Online Submission process:
One may submit an article only after registering on the website.
The Peer Review Process:
Each manuscript will be screened for its relevance and formatting compatibility with the broad guidelines of the journal. All manuscripts with evidences of plagiarism and excessive referencing will be rejected. All selected manuscripts will be forwarded to anonymous referees/reviewers (experts in the field covered in the manuscript) for review. The research paper shall be published subject to recommendation of at least two of the three referees. The referees may also suggest modifications/ amendments if required. As a general principle, the reviewers will not ask the authors to change their political viewpoints. However, a reviewer may ask the authors to modify their arguments and theoretical underpinnings. The reviewers may also ask for more clarifications and inclusion of more explanations apart from suggestions on the format of the submissions. The review process may take up to maximum two months. The journal shall publish the article/papers of the authors completing the formalities in due time mentioned in the selection letter. The rejected papers shall not be returned.
JSDC reserves the right to make amendments in the final draft of the research paper to suit the requirements of the journal.
