Environmental Science students, art and the Blue Economy in South Africa

This blog post provides a brief summary of a day spent with a group of environmental Masters and PhD students from the South African Environmental Observation Network’s (SAEON) Graduate Student Network (GSN), funded by the National Research Foundation (NRF) in South Africa, drawing on Hub research to demonstrate the power of art in making marine research more equitable and inclusive within the context of the Blue Economy.

On 18 September 2024, Hub researcher Nina Rivers presented a talk on marine conservation and the Blue Economy at the 16th GSN NRF-SAEON Indibano (16-20 September 2024) in Gqeberha, South Africa, under the theme “Science for Diplomacy: Bridging Knowledge and Governance”. The talk, entitled, “Arts-based participatory research for community-based marine conservation in the blue economy: lessons from the Algoa Bay Project and the One Ocean Hub” highlighted the relevance of using art and arts-based research methods to help make ocean research and governance more equitable. Nina highlighted that it is important to be critical of concepts like the Blue Economy and to think about what this concept means for South Africans, especially marginalised communities like small-scale fishers and Indigenous knowledge holders, who usually have very little say in how development frameworks will impact their lives.
Nina presented the use of arts-based participatory research methods such as photovoice, storytelling, visual art, theatre and poetry used by One Ocean Hub researchers (eg. Nina Rivers, Mia Strand, Elsemi Olwage, Philile Mbatha and Dylan McGarry) as a tool to support equitable and meaningful participation in ocean governance across the full spectrum of society, to ensure that blue economies are developed for the many and not just the privileged few. The students were also shown the animation “Indlela Yokuphila: The Soul’s Journey”, a story about the ancestors that live in the ocean that was developed based on Hub research with Indigenous communities, providing a powerful example of the potential for art to create bridges between Indigenous practices and belief systems and western science.
For the second half of the day, the student groups showcased their own arts-based research projects where they used artistic means to communicate research findings. Three groups used digital animation, one group used digital cartooning and voice overs, while another used theatre in what proved to be a very innovative and entertaining production.
The conference was a gathering that celebrated the convergence of emerging research and the broader societal impact of science, and served as a platform for students to not only present their research but also to engage in meaningful conversations around marine research and conservation, receive constructive feedback on their work, and to forge new connections and networks. Nina said of the day “It was such a pleasure to engage with these enthusiastic, curious, bright and entertaining young researchers. If this is the future of marine science in South Africa, I’m really excited!”
To find out more about the Blue Economy, ocean cultural heritage or arts-based participatory research methods, check out these newly launched Learning Pathways on Understanding the Blue Economy and Cultural Heritage and Ocean Governance on the One Ocean Learn platform.
Related SDGs: