Blue economy : the perspectives of small island developing states

Abstract

Small Island Developing States (SIDS) are amongst the foremost advocates for the blue economy concept; and yet, their perspectives remain marginalised in academic literature. Furthermore, if and when acknowledged, SIDS tend to be treated as one homogeneous group, with little attempt to appreciate their diversity and idiosyncrasies. Based on a systematic literature review of blue economy and SIDS, this paper argues that knowledge production through publication by and with SIDS is lacking and unrepresentative, leading to the general invisibility of SIDS and scholars from SIDS. This situation thereby highlights an ongoing inequity between countries with and without research capacity. From an examination of national policy documents and institutional frameworks employed in SIDS to support the blue economy, this paper also showcases that SIDS are not a homogeneous group, with evident differences in their perspectives on the implementation of the blue economy. This article thus hopes to shed some light on inequity in the consideration of SIDS and the blue economy in the academic literature; it calls for more vigorous research by SIDS on their own predicament; as well as a broader recognition of the diversity of perspectives associated with SIDS.