Research

Understanding People, Society, and the Ocean

At Ocean in Minds, research begins with a simple question:

How can we strengthen the relationship between people and the ocean?

While scientific knowledge is fundamental to understanding marine environments, sustainable ocean futures also depend on people—their identities, values, cultures, institutions, and ways of thinking. Our research explores these human dimensions of the ocean and their influence on governance, policy, and social change.

Ocean in Minds embraces interdisciplinary research that connects marine and environmental sciences with the social sciences, humanities, governance, and public policy. By bringing together diverse perspectives, the platform seeks to contribute to more inclusive, resilient, and sustainable approaches to ocean stewardship.

Research Themes

Current areas of interest include:

  • Ocean Governance
  • Maritime Identity
  • Ocean Mindsets and Social Change
  • Coastal Communities
  • Marine Policy
  • Sustainability and Blue Economy
  • Human Dimensions of the Ocean
  • Interdisciplinary and Transdisciplinary Research
  • Australia and Indonesia in the Indo-Pacific Context

Current Research

Current work focuses on understanding how social and cultural perspectives influence the way individuals, communities, and institutions relate to the ocean. This includes the development of two complementary research frameworks:

  • Maritime Identity Development (MID) – exploring how maritime identity is formed and strengthened across individuals, communities, and nations.
  • Social Mindset Restructuring (SMR) – examining how changes in social and cultural mindsets can support more inclusive, collaborative, and sustainable ocean governance.

Together, these frameworks contribute to a broader understanding of how mindset and identity shape relationships with the ocean and inform future governance, education, and policy.

Looking Forward

As Ocean in Minds grows, this page will feature research projects, publications, presentations, collaborations, and emerging ideas that contribute to understanding the human dimensions of the ocean.

Research is viewed here not only as a way of generating knowledge, but also as a means of fostering dialogue, inspiring collaboration, and encouraging meaningful action towards a more sustainable relationship between people and the sea.