The Struggle to Govern the Oceans: The Past, Present, and Future of the Law of the Sea

Thursday, November 07th - 04 PM - 306 Coble Hall and on Zoom

Summary: How to govern the oceans has become a major political, environmental, and economic challenge. From the South China Sea to the Arctic Ocean and the deep seabed, questions about how humans use the oceans have become increasingly salient.  In many of these contexts, “freedom of the seas” remains a powerful refrain, and particularly from U.S. politicians and military officials. But where did this concept come from? The Poseidon Project explores the origins, history, and evolution of freedom of the seas and considers what role it will play in the future of ocean governance.

Speaker: David Bosco is Executive Associate Dean and HLS Professor at Indiana University's Hamilton Lugar School of Global and International Studies. He earned his J.D. at Harvard Law School, magna cum laude, 2001, a M.Phil. (international relations) at Cambridge University, 1996, and his B.A.(Government) at Harvard College, magna cum laude, 1995. He focuses on the political dynamics of international organizations and international law. He recently published a book exploring ocean governance and the law of the sea and he is researching several aspects of multilateral maritime cooperation. He also continues to follow closely the International Criminal Court and aspects of the United Nations system, with a focus on the Security Council.