The goal of this thematic issue is to serve as a comprehensive resource for early career researchers (ECRs) navigating the unique challenges of inter and transdisciplinary marine research. Recognizing that traditional academic training often falls short in preparing researchers for the realities of collaborative, cross-disciplinary work, this issue will offer practical guidance, real-world case studies, and actionable advice tailored specifically to ECRs. By doing so, it aims to equip the next generation of marine scientists with the skills needed for diverse career paths, both within and beyond academia. Key topics will include strategies for effective collaboration across disciplines and knowledge systems, guidance on writing for various inter and transdisciplinary contexts, and building broader skill sets such as policy engagement and professional networking. The issue will also address how to select supportive mentors, ensure safety during fieldwork, and foster trusted relationships within research teams. Perspectives from experienced researchers will highlight common challenges and ways to overcome them, while discussions on positionality, reflexivity, and equitable research practices will help ECRs become more reflective and inclusive scientists. In addition, the thematic issue will focus on “translating science”—communicating interdisciplinary marine research to diverse audiences—and showcase innovative approaches to training, participatory research, and science-policy interactions. Emphasis will be placed on fostering ocean literacy, enhancing diversity and inclusion, and building research capacity. A special focus will also be placed on sharing knowledge from regions typically underrepresented in the literature, and on supporting them. By sharing best practices and lessons learned from around the world, this issue aims to support the development of future leaders in sustainable ocean stewardship and interdisciplinary marine science, making it the essential guide for ECRs embarking on inter and transdisciplinary research careers.

Authors interested in submitting a paper for this issue are asked to consult the journal's instructions for authors and submit their abstracts (maximum of 250 words, with a tentative title) through the abstracts system (here). When submitting their abstracts, authors are also asked to confirm that they are aware that Ocean and Society is an open access journal with a publishing fee if the article is accepted for publication after peer-review (corresponding authors affiliated with our institutional members do not incur this fee).

Readers across the globe will be able to access, share, and download this issue entirely for free. Corresponding authors affiliated with any of our institutional members (over 90 institutions worldwide) publish free of charge. Otherwise, an article processing fee will be charged to the authors to cover editorial costs. We defend that authors should not have to personally pay this fee and encourage them to check with their institutions if funds are available to cover open access publication costs. Further information about the journal's open access charges can be found here.

Given the focus of the thematic issue, and in particular the hope to support early career researchers, especially those from the Global South, the editorial office will consider every waiver request on a case-by-case basis as long as it is submitted during the abstract submission phase.

Important notice: This thematic issue will be published in two parts with differing deadlines for each part, but will remain as one thematic issue.

As oceans and societies reliant on the ocean economy face mounting pressires, it is increasingly clear that current models of ocean development rooted in economic growth are neither sustainable nor just. The dominant “blue growth” paradigm, which seeks to expand ocean-based industries under the guise of sustainability, often sidelines social and ecological justice in favour of profit and productivity. This special issue will explore what lies beyond blue growth, focusing instead on pathways that centre human and ecological wellbeing, justice, long-term resilience, decolonial perspectives, and degrowth, in coastal and oceanic contexts. Papers are invited that critically examine how emerging concepts such as blue degrowth, post-growth governance, and the wellbeing economy can inform a new paradigm for ocean sustainability.

We invite interdisciplinary contributions, from across the social sciences, humanities and environmental sciences, especially those that interrogate and move beyond blue growth, incorporate Global South views, indigenous scholars and research at the intersection of marine governance, wellbeing and socio-ecological transformation. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:

• Blue degrowth and post-growth marine economies: exploring limits to growth in the ocean economy and the potential for degrowth for fostering equity and sustainability.
• Alternative metrics of wellbeing and success in coastal regions: developing new indicators rooted in quality of life, ecosystem health and cultural values.
• Just transitions for fisheries, shipping, and marine tourism: analysing how livelihoods and labour can be restructured for justice and sustainability.
• Ocean governance rooted in care, reciprocity and communing: reimagining governance models that prioritise relational ethics, stewardship and community agency.
• Indigenous and local knowledge systems in marine stewardship: valuing traditional ecological knowledge and indigenous governance as vital components of ocean sustainability.
• Social dimesnions of marine protected areas and conservation: examining equity, access and participation in marine spatial planning and biodiversity conservation.
• Degrowth narratives in ocean climate adaptation and mitigation: unpacking how degrowth principles can inform equitable responses to climate impacts in marine and coastal zones.
• Transforming finance and investment for regenerative ocean futures: investigating how capital can be redirected towards regenerative models that support community-led, socially-equitable and ecologically sound practices.
• Regenerative business models and ownership structures: exploring coopeative, commons-based, or mission-driven enterprises that challenge profit-maximising logics and align with long-term ocean health and community resilience. 

We welcome empirical studies, conceptual papers, case studies and collborative commentaries.

Authors interested in submitting a paper for this issue are asked to consult the journal's instructions for authors and submit their abstracts (maximum of 250 words, with a tentative title) through the abstracts system (here). When submitting their abstracts, authors are also asked to confirm that they are aware that Ocean and Society is an open access journal with a publishing fee if the article is accepted for publication after peer-review (corresponding authors affiliated with our institutional members do not incur this fee).

Readers across the globe will be able to access, share, and download this issue entirely for free. Corresponding authors affiliated with any of our institutional members (over 90 institutions worldwide) publish free of charge. Otherwise, an article processing fee will be charged to the authors to cover editorial costs. We defend that authors should not have to personally pay this fee and encourage them to check with their institutions if funds are available to cover open access publication costs. Further information about the journal's open access charges can be found here.

This thematic issue will address the emergence of alternative fuels, new energy sources, and new technologies that can help the shipping industry reach net-zero emissions by mid-century. The topic arises from the International Maritime Organization's (IMO) 2023 Strategy for Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Shipping which set the goal for the industry to achieve net-zero emissions by or around 2050. While new fuels, energy sources, and technologies have been tested, achieving this ambitious goal requires a rapid energy transition within the maritime sector. Although significant efforts have been made in this direction, there is still a long way to go to reach the ultimate goal.

In this context, the thematic issue focuses on emerging fuels, energy sources, and technologies currently being considered, tested, and implemented in the maritime sector. This makes the issue both timely and relevant, offering valuable insights into cutting-edge scientific advancements, best practices, pilot projects, and empirical evidence.

Through this thematic issue, we expect to receive manuscripts presenting the latest theoretical and practical research on the adoption of new fuels, energy sources, and technologies. We also expect papers that explore the key drivers and barriers to their adoption and that propose actionable pathways for their commercial deployment. As the issue of maritime decarbonization encompasses environmental, economic, social, and political dimensions, the thematic issue will welcome studies covering all aspects of a green and just transition.

By bridging academic, industrial, social, and policy perspectives, this thematic issue will support informed decision-making and contribute to the global effort to decarbonize maritime transportation from an academic and practical perspective.

Authors interested in submitting a paper for this issue are asked to consult the journal's instructions for authors and submit their abstracts (maximum of 250 words, with a tentative title) through the abstracts system (here). When submitting their abstracts, authors are also asked to confirm that they are aware that Ocean and Society is an open access journal with a publishing fee if the article is accepted for publication after peer-review (corresponding authors affiliated with our institutional members do not incur this fee).

Readers across the globe will be able to access, share, and download this issue entirely for free. Corresponding authors affiliated with any of our institutional members (over 90 institutions worldwide) publish free of charge. Otherwise, an article processing fee will be charged to the authors to cover editorial costs. We defend that authors should not have to personally pay this fee and encourage them to check with their institutions if funds are available to cover open access publication costs. Further information about the journal's open access charges can be found here.

As the 2030 deadline for the UN sustainable development goals (SDGs) fast approaches, finding innovative ways to sustainably manage and control the global ocean and freshwater fisheries as set out in SDG 14 “life below water” and SGD 15 “life on land targets,” has never been more important. This thematic issue seeks to draw together articles that consider the cross-disciplinary topic of seafood fraud, or indeed the expanded concept of bluefoods—animals, plants, and algae harvested from freshwater and marine environments—which have consequences for the environment, human health and wellbeing, seafood businesses, and the consumer. We anticipate that contributors will tackle issues that deal with improving traceability and embracing the use of provenance testing and technologies at all stages of seafood production to address food system sustainability; strengthening international and local governance and regulations to limit the landing and on-selling of illegal, unreported, unregulated, and unethical catches via muddied supply chains; and introduce and share workable strategies to overcome land and sea challenges and manage risks. We also welcome contributions focusing on other harvested or produced aquatic resources vulnerable to fraud, that jeopardise management, conservation, and SDG targets. We encourage contributions from all disciplines including science, law, engineering, economics, criminology, social science, and industry to better inform consumers towards making environmentally and socially conscious “boat to plate” decisions.

Authors interested in submitting a paper for this issue are asked to consult the journal's instructions for authors and submit their abstracts (maximum of 250 words, with a tentative title) through the abstracts system (here). When submitting their abstracts, authors are also asked to confirm that they are aware that Ocean and Society is an open access journal with a publishing fee if the article is accepted for publication after peer-review (corresponding authors affiliated with our institutional members do not incur this fee).

Readers across the globe will be able to access, share, and download this issue entirely for free. Corresponding authors affiliated with any of our institutional members (over 90 institutions worldwide) publish free of charge. Otherwise, an article processing fee will be charged to the authors to cover editorial costs. We defend that authors should not have to personally pay this fee and encourage them to check with their institutions if funds are available to cover open access publication costs. Further information about the journal's open access charges can be found here.

The blue economy is often framed as a pathway to social and environmental sustainability, balancing economic growth with achieving positive social equity and environmental outcomes. Yet industries seeking to align with this vision face challenges translating equity and sustainability principles into practice while maintaining economic viability.

The core equity, environmental, and social principles of the blue economy, stem from international negotiations, guiding national governments in meeting global obligations. National policies must align with broader regulatory frameworks, creating overlaps with non-blue economic activities. This results in a complex regulatory, social, and ecological landscape where industries must balance economic viability with their environmental and social commitments.

This thematic issue, Blue Burdens and Opportunities, critically examines the practical realities of being a “blue” industry. How do industries operationalise equity and sustainability principles? What incentives do industries have to engage in these principles, and what tensions arise when these ideals meet real-world constraints? Are blue industries held to a higher standard than others and what are the implications of this? While policies and frameworks emphasise buzzwords and high-level concepts such as just transitions, nature-positive design, and participatory decision-making, there is often little guidance on how to practically implement these. What does this mean in practice?

We invite interdisciplinary perspectives that explore how blue industries interpret and implement social, economic, and environmental objectives. Contributions may consider but are not limited to, governance mechanisms to support emerging industries, navigating community conflict, moving past blue growth, tensions in resource accessibility, trade-offs between environmental, equitable and economic outcomes, and examples of equity in practice.

By bringing together diverse insights, this issue deepens understanding of the challenges and strategies shaping an equitable and sustainable blue economy. In doing so, it moves beyond high-level aspirations to explore the burdens and opportunities of blue economy industries.

Authors interested in submitting a paper for this issue are asked to consult the journal's instructions for authors and submit their abstracts (maximum of 250 words, with a tentative title) through the abstracts system (here). When submitting their abstracts, authors are also asked to confirm that they are aware that Ocean and Society is an open access journal with a publishing fee if the article is accepted for publication after peer-review (corresponding authors affiliated with our institutional members do not incur this fee).

Readers across the globe will be able to access, share, and download this issue entirely for free. Corresponding authors affiliated with any of our institutional members (over 90 institutions worldwide) publish free of charge. Otherwise, an article processing fee will be charged to the authors to cover editorial costs. We defend that authors should not have to personally pay this fee and encourage them to check with their institutions if funds are available to cover open access publication costs. Further information about the journal's open access charges can be found here.

This thematic issue explores the relevance of the IMO Net-Zero Framework for shipping decarbonization at the global, regional, and national levels. We welcome articles that analyze the IMO Net-Zero Framework from the perspective of:

• Environmental effectiveness: effectiveness in reducing GHG emissions from shipping; co-benefits, e.g., in terms of development benefits related to the production and distribution of alternative bunker fuels; and potential co-harms, e.g., environmental risks related to the production and use of alternative bunker fuels.
• Interaction with EU policies and national efforts to decarbonize shipping (e.g., interactions with national action plans or sub-global policies aimed at decarbonising international shipping, such as the EU ETS and FuelEU Maritime).
• Relevance for ports and green corridors, including analyses of barriers to supplying alternative fuels or safety-related concerns.
• Economic impacts on states and the shipping industry, including effects on GDP, trade patterns, and food security.
• The just and equitable transition in the shipping sector, including the need for training and re-training the maritime workforce, seafarers' well-being, and diversity.
• Alternative fuels and other zero and near-zero-emission technologies, such as analyses of the fuels and technologies that the IMO Net-Zero Framework will incentivise.

This thematic issue will be multidisciplinary, drawing on perspectives from law, economics, policy, political science, and sociology.

Authors interested in submitting a paper for this issue are asked to consult the journal's instructions for authors and submit their abstracts (maximum of 250 words, with a tentative title) through the abstracts system (here). When submitting their abstracts, authors are also asked to confirm that they are aware that Ocean and Society is an open access journal with a publishing fee if the article is accepted for publication after peer-review (corresponding authors affiliated with our institutional members do not incur this fee).

Readers across the globe will be able to access, share, and download this issue entirely for free. Corresponding authors affiliated with any of our institutional members (over 90 institutions worldwide) publish free of charge. Otherwise, an article processing fee will be charged to the authors to cover editorial costs. We defend that authors should not have to personally pay this fee and encourage them to check with their institutions if funds are available to cover open access publication costs. Further information about the journal's open access charges can be found here.

The aim of this thematic issue is to gain a better understanding of how and why compellence is used in the maritime sphere today. Building on coercion literature, we examine case studies in which state or non-state actors use compellence to influence the behaviour of another state or non-state actor, focusing on cases in which the compeller uses violence, aggression, or the threat of violence. By examining case studies from different parts of the world, we aim to gain better insights into the use of compellence at sea and to identify on what levels compellence in the maritime sphere works. By embedding the case studies in a common theoretical framework, the thematic issue also aims to contribute to the wider coercion literature, which focuses largely on land-based conflicts, and the more specialised literature on maritime coercion. Focusing on current maritime conflicts, the thematic issue will provide insights into how, if, and perhaps why compellence works in today’s maritime environment. 

Authors interested in submitting a paper for this issue are asked to consult the journal's instructions for authors and submit their abstracts (maximum of 250 words, with a tentative title) through the abstracts system (here). When submitting their abstracts, authors are also asked to confirm that they are aware that Ocean and Society is an open access journal with a publishing fee if the article is accepted for publication after peer-review (corresponding authors affiliated with our institutional members do not incur this fee).

Readers across the globe will be able to access, share, and download this issue entirely for free. Corresponding authors affiliated with any of our institutional members (over 90 institutions worldwide) publish free of charge. Otherwise, an article processing fee will be charged to the authors to cover editorial costs. We defend that authors should not have to personally pay this fee and encourage them to check with their institutions if funds are available to cover open access publication costs. Further information about the journal's open access charges can be found here.

The blue economy and blue growth have emerged globally as dominant policy frameworks promoting economic development through the sustainable use of ocean and coastal resources. While these paradigms promise innovation, prosperity, and climate resilience, growing empirical evidence shows that many blue economy initiatives have also generated profound social, environmental, and governance challenges. These include resource commodification, displacement of coastal communities, labor exploitation, environmental degradation, and widening socio-economic inequalities—dynamics increasingly conceptualized as blue injustice.

At the same time, the emerging concept of blue justice offers an alternative narrative that centers on human rights, social equity, community participation, and environmental stewardship within ocean governance. This thematic issue of Ocean and Society aims to critically examine how blue economy strategies are reshaping societies, livelihoods, institutions, and power relations across diverse geographical contexts. It seeks to move beyond growth-focused narratives by foregrounding justice, governance, and lived social realities in ocean-based development.

We invite interdisciplinary contributions from the marine social sciences, political economy, environmental justice, maritime governance, development studies, maritime law, marine policy, and sustainability science. Submissions may address theoretical foundations of blue justice, governance and regulatory frameworks, impacts on coastal and small-scale fishing communities, labor conditions and gender dimensions, port-city relations, tourism pressures, environmental pollution, and comparative national and regional blue economy policies. Contributions on community resistance, participatory governance, and alternative pathways for inclusive and equitable ocean development are especially encouraged.

By bringing together critical perspectives from both the Global North and South, this thematic issue seeks to advance a more socially accountable and ethically grounded understanding of the ocean economy. It aims to inform scholarship, policy debates, and practical interventions toward building truly inclusive, just, and sustainable ocean futures.

Authors interested in submitting a paper for this issue are asked to consult the journal's instructions for authors and submit their abstracts (maximum of 250 words, with a tentative title) through the abstracts system (here). When submitting their abstracts, authors are also asked to confirm that they are aware that Ocean and Society is an open access journal with a publishing fee if the article is accepted for publication after peer-review (corresponding authors affiliated with our institutional members do not incur this fee).

Readers across the globe will be able to access, share, and download this issue entirely for free. Corresponding authors affiliated with any of our institutional members (over 90 institutions worldwide) publish free of charge. Otherwise, an article processing fee will be charged to the authors to cover editorial costs. We defend that authors should not have to personally pay this fee and encourage them to check with their institutions if funds are available to cover open access publication costs. Further information about the journal's open access charges can be found here.

Coastal communities and their environments are experiencing rapid transformations. Global shifts in demographics, weather patterns, water systems, and climate are significantly impacting coastal businesses, communities, and ecosystems. Addressing these challenges requires the sustainable use and conservation of coastal and marine resources to foster a robust economy, a healthy environment, and resilient and inclusive communities. Despite advancements, substantial knowledge gaps persist concerning marine ecosystems and their interconnectedness with society. Even when evidence-based strategies to prevent marine ecosystem loss are available, they are often overlooked in policy and management frameworks. Additionally, many existing policies, plans, and actions aimed at addressing marine ecosystem challenges have proven ineffective or counterproductive, sometimes exacerbating environmental degradation or deepening socio-economic disparities and injustices.

Recognizing the urgency of the situation, there is growing consensus on the need for a rapid, significant, and coordinated transformative change. This transformation must integrate environmental, social, cultural, behavioral, economic, political, health, and justice dimensions to achieve meaningful and sustainable outcomes.

Central to this effort is the integration of science and engagement programs focused on watersheds, and coastal, and ocean ecosystems, highlighting the critical connections between these systems and the well-being of coastal communities. This thematic issue invites submissions of practical case studies that demonstrate the role of universities as collaborative platforms for promoting sustainable development in marine and coastal regions. These collaborations unite individuals, communities, educators, scientists, legal experts, organizations, industries, and governments, leveraging the best available science, technology, policy insights, and resource management expertise. Contributors are especially encouraged to emphasize the social impacts of their practices, showcasing how their initiatives address real-world challenges. This focus on tangible outcomes underscores the importance of translating research and engagement into lasting benefits for both communities and ecosystems.

Authors interested in submitting a paper for this issue are asked to consult the journal's instructions for authors and submit their abstracts (maximum of 250 words, with a tentative title) through the abstracts system (here). When submitting their abstracts, authors are also asked to confirm that they are aware that Ocean and Society is an open access journal with a publishing fee if the article is accepted for publication after peer-review (corresponding authors affiliated with our institutional members do not incur this fee).

Readers across the globe will be able to access, share, and download this issue entirely for free. Corresponding authors affiliated with any of our institutional members (over 90 institutions worldwide) publish free of charge. Otherwise, an article processing fee will be charged to the authors to cover editorial costs. We defend that authors should not have to personally pay this fee and encourage them to check with their institutions if funds are available to cover open access publication costs. Further information about the journal's open access charges can be found here.

This thematic issue explores the complex realities that arise from the ocean-climate nexus and its governance-oriented challenges and opportunities. Ocean and climate governance continue to be intricate and compelling issues that set barriers to the sustainable use of oceans and their potential contribution to the fight against climate change and vice versa. There is a growing need to understand how different and divergent actors (states, non-state actors, international organizations, corporations, courts, regimes, etc.) will approach the use of oceans during the era of the ever-growing effects of climate change. Ocean, for this thematic issue, is perceived in its broadest meaning. It covers issues concerning oceans per se and other maritime activities that can contribute to the sustainability of the seas (such as sustainable coastal areas, sustainable marine tourism, port governance, etc.). Accordingly, climate change governance covers a broad array of actions that actors may undertake, such as new policies or initiatives for the sustainable use of oceans, either to achieve the mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions or to adapt to the impacts of climate change or both.

Contributions to this issue are welcome from various disciplines, such as social sciences, political science/IR, political economy, maritime studies, environmental studies, legal studies, etc. They may focus on various sub-fields or examples (shipping, biodiversity, science, security, and many more). The goal is to draw a comprehensive image of several aspects that would benefit the sustainability of the oceans and its links to the contribution to the fight against climate change through a governance spectrum, approached in broad terms, and create a first body of multidisciplinary approaches on the issues at hand. This thematic issue aims to answer the horizontal, cross-cutting, and overarching research question of how ocean climate governance can move forward. Each contribution can specify and answer this question in a way that is unique and contributes to the creation of a comprehensive approach.

Authors interested in submitting a paper for this issue are asked to consult the journal's instructions for authors and submit their abstracts (maximum of 250 words, with a tentative title) through the abstracts system (here). When submitting their abstracts, authors are also asked to confirm that they are aware that Ocean and Society is an open access journal with a publishing fee if the article is accepted for publication after peer-review (corresponding authors affiliated with our institutional members do not incur this fee).

Readers across the globe will be able to access, share, and download this issue entirely for free. Corresponding authors affiliated with any of our institutional members (over 90 institutions worldwide) publish free of charge. Otherwise, an article processing fee will be charged to the authors to cover editorial costs. We defend that authors should not have to personally pay this fee and encourage them to check with their institutions if funds are available to cover open access publication costs. Further information about the journal's open access charges can be found here.

The ocean has long been a source of fascination, myth, and meaning in human culture. In an age defined by global polycrises—such as the escalating climate emergency, biodiversity loss, and disruptions to the global liberal order—marine spaces and their representations in popular culture have taken on heightened significance. Not only do artefacts and discourses reflect how ongoing and overlapping crises are reflected in popular culture, but they also shape public understanding and policy responses to these challenges.

This thematic issue examines how oceanic spaces, actors, and entities are represented, imagined, and understood in popular culture. Utilizing the concept of marine imaginaries, contributions analyze a wide range of media—such as art, film, gaming, music, and newspapers—to highlight the real-world implications of marine imaginaries and their reflection in societal social debates. In doing so, contributions span across diverse geographical contexts and cover a wide range of themes ranging from pirate codes to conservation measures. They analyze how popular cultural texts convey messages about marine imaginaries and their respective media forms, engaging not only with the content of these texts but also considering how their choice of medium influences perceptions of the ocean and its crises.

The thematic issue welcomes submissions from a wide range of research fields and practices. Potential research questions include, but are not limited to:

• How do representations of oceanic spaces in popular culture reflect and respond to contemporary global crises?
• In what ways do marine imaginaries shape public attitudes, behaviours, and policies related to environmental protection and sustainability?
• How useful are marine imaginaries in providing a productive framework for the (social) construction and maintenance of peaceful and healthy ocean spaces?
• How do historical narratives inform marine imaginaries in popular culture, and how do they influence current social discourses?
• What role do underrepresented voices and non-Western perspectives play in diversifying and challenging dominant marine imaginaries?

Ultimately, this thematic issue aims to advance Ocean and Society’s mission of exploring the social, cultural, and political relationships between society and the sea by offering a deeper understanding of how marine imaginaries shape, and are shaped by, global polycrises.

Authors interested in submitting a paper for this issue are asked to consult the journal's instructions for authors and submit their abstracts (maximum of 250 words, with a tentative title) through the abstracts system (here). When submitting their abstracts, authors are also asked to confirm that they are aware that Ocean and Society is an open access journal with a publishing fee if the article is accepted for publication after peer-review (corresponding authors affiliated with our institutional members do not incur this fee).

Readers across the globe will be able to access, share, and download this issue entirely for free. Corresponding authors affiliated with any of our institutional members (over 90 institutions worldwide) publish free of charge. Otherwise, an article processing fee will be charged to the authors to cover editorial costs. We defend that authors should not have to personally pay this fee and encourage them to check with their institutions if funds are available to cover open access publication costs. Further information about the journal's open access charges can be found here.

As coastal communities worldwide navigate the challenges and opportunities of Blue Growth, issues of environmental justice, empowerment, and sustainability emerge as central concerns. While policies like the European Green Deal and the Blue Economy framework promise inclusive and sustainable development, many coastal regions—especially those in peripheral areas—face persistent challenges of recognition, resource distribution, and procedural fairness.

This thematic issue brings together inter- and transdisciplinary perspectives to examine how coastal communities are engaging with transition processes, sustainability transformations, and justice concerns. Through empirical studies and theoretical reflections, the issue explores how communities redefine their relationships with marine resources, negotiate power dynamics in environmental governance, and develop innovative socio-ecological and socio-technical tools for inclusive coastal futures.

Key themes include:

•    Transition mechanisms and changed practices: Examining how co-creation processes transform marine governance, evidenced through case studies in just and inclusive coastal transitions.

• Co-creation and participatory governance: Analysing knowledge co-production and participatory methods for sustainable marine resource management.
• Blue Justice and local empowerment: Exploring conflicts in marine planning, displacement, and exclusion, including perspectives on planning in absentia.

•    Alternative blue economies: Assessing how traditional coastal knowledge can be institutionalized to ensure equity, including the Leaving No One Behind (LNOB) principles.

• Living Labs and Nature-Based Solutions: Understanding how experimental approaches such as Transition Coastal Labs (TCLs) contribute to participatory conservation.

By drawing on case studies from around the world, this special issue provides a comparative lens on the struggles and possibilities of coastal empowerment. It aims to advance scholarly and policy discussions on how to ensure that Blue Growth agendas do not replicate past inequalities but instead contribute to equitable and thriving coastal futures.

Authors interested in submitting a paper for this issue are asked to consult the journal's instructions for authors and submit their abstracts (maximum of 250 words, with a tentative title) through the abstracts system (here). When submitting their abstracts, authors are also asked to confirm that they are aware that Ocean and Society is an open access journal with a publishing fee if the article is accepted for publication after peer-review (corresponding authors affiliated with our institutional members do not incur this fee).

Readers across the globe will be able to access, share, and download this issue entirely for free. Corresponding authors affiliated with any of our institutional members (over 90 institutions worldwide) publish free of charge. Otherwise, an article processing fee will be charged to the authors to cover editorial costs. We defend that authors should not have to personally pay this fee and encourage them to check with their institutions if funds are available to cover open access publication costs. Further information about the journal's open access charges can be found here.