Volume VI Special Issue II February 2026

Name of Author : Dr.K.Fahamida Begum

Title of the paper : Cynthia Barnetts The Sound of the Sea: Seashells and the Fate of the Oceans through the Lens of the Blue Humanities

Abstract: This paper examines Cynthia Barnetts The Sound of the Sea Seashells and the Fate of the Oceans 2021 through the critical framework of the Blue Humanities, a field that foregrounds water as a vital force shaping human culture, history, and imagination. Using seashells as narrative and ecological symbols, Barnett redefines the ocean not as a distant backdrop but as a living archive of human marine relationships. The study explores how seashells function as cultural artifacts, historical witnesses, and ecological indicators, revealing connections between colonial trade, global capitalism, and environmental degradation. By tracing shells from objects of beauty and currency to warning signs of ocean acidification, the paper highlights the ethical and ecological concerns central to contemporary oceanic studies. Ultimately, this research argues that Barnetts work fosters ecological empathy and advocates an ethic of care, reinforcing the Blue Humanities call to realize humanitys responsibility toward the oceans and marine life.

Keywords : Blue Humanities, Seashells, Oceanic Studies, Ecocriticism, Marine Ecology, Environmental Ethics, Cynthia Barnett, Ocean Conservation, Human Ocean Relationship

DOI :

Page Number : 41-44