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Short abstract:

The contribution discusses divergent visions of oceanic futures by scrutinizing different actors' anticipatory practices. It aims to speculate on the confluence or divergence of images of the future.

Long abstract:

The proliferating economization of the ocean (Asdal & Huse, 2023) also manifests itself in contested futures. While mediating concepts such as "the sustainable blue economy" can only seemingly overcome the contradictions posed by the interplay between technoscientific visions directed towards blue innovation, policy plans for marine protection and expectations of coastal communities, oceanic futures diverge. Through anticipatory practices, or "techniques of futuring" (Oomen et al., 2021), oceanic futures take shape. Some of the resulting sociotechnical imaginaries or ecological visions are disseminated and may become socially performative (Jasanoff & Kim, 2015; Pfotenhauer & Jasanoff, 2017). Others may be marginalized.

In our contribution, we scrutinize the contested landscape of oceanic futures. By relating the anticipatory practices of activists, policymakers, artists, volunteers, and scientists, we outline how visions are mobilized to act on the ocean and its materialities. Therefore, we analyze diverse empirical material. First, we consider interviews with young adults engaged in initiatives that aim to foster the connection between humans and water. Second, we draw from a selection of cultural sources, books, games, movies and more that portray and enact human-water relationships, all obtained through horizon scanning research. We look forward to discussing how hopes and fears are articulated in visions, how they frame pasts, presents, and futures, and where potential frictions come to the fore. Furthermore, we are intrigued to discuss the interplay between envisioned socio-technical innovations and the more-than-human assemblages that enable them, from algae over jellyfish to ocean currents.