The Territorialization of the Global Commons: Evidence from Ocean Governance

Abstract

The international system of states displays an inherent drive to territorialize the global commons. But territorialization is not a continuous process—it occurs in episodes. In this article, I use one case from ocean governance, the expansion of territory into near-shore areas of the seas, to advance a twofold argument about the nature of these episodes. First, I argue that the root causes of this drive to territorialize “empty space” are located in global politics, norms, and economics. Second, a territorializing episode occurs when there are impelling economic incentives, and when great powers are unable or unwilling to oppose territorialization. However, this can lead to different outcomes: sovereign territories, functional territories, or internationalized territories. Oceanic space has seen a series of these territorializing episodes since the end of the Second World War and functional territorialization has become more prevalent over time.

Constructing Ocean and Polar Governance

“…Often understood as "empty" places, with no states having authority over these areas, the tension between the functional needs of governance, potential conflicts of interest, and unclear governance arrangements presents a particular challenge. Daniel Lambach sheds light on the territorialisation of near shore areas and argues that territorializing episodes occur when a space is constructed as "empty," when there are impelling economic incentives, and when great powers are unable or unwilling to oppose territorialisation (Lambach, 2022). Frank Mattheis and Pedro Seabra investigate how regional security governance mechanisms seek to fill the maritime gaps of non-proliferation (Mattheis & Seabra, 2022).…”