Document Type
Essay
Department
Marine Affairs
Date of Original Version
12-2023
Abstract
In this paper, I investigate the enduring influence of Dutch colonial legacies on contemporary marine conservation governance in the Indonesian archipelago. Using Banu Subramaniam’s concept of interdisciplinary haunting and Bruno Latour’s Black Box metaphor, I critically examine how historical power structures established over three centuries of colonial rule shape present-day environmental policies. The analysis begins with my critique of the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) definition of conservation, highlighting inherent ambiguities regarding equity that may have enabled global power imbalances and the uneven distribution of costs and benefits. I continued by tracing the evolution of marine resource governance from inclusive pre-colonial communal systems to Dutch colonial structures that institutionalized extractive practices and exclusionary fortress conservation ideals. This shift involved the militarization of reserves and the appropriation of land rights under colonial tenure policies. Case studies from Aceh and Rote Island illustrate how Dutch interventions disrupted traditional governance, reconfigured social dynamics, and entrenched hierarchical systems favoring colonial elites. Post-independence policy developments, the establishment of centralized Protected Areas, and recent decentralization reforms reveal persistent colonial frameworks alongside emerging neoliberal Blue Economy discourse that risks translating environmental assets into global financial capital. Despite reforms promoting participatory conservation, inequities in decision-making power and benefit distribution remain prevalent among marginalized coastal communities, demonstrating the lingering presence of these "colonial ghosts." I conclude this paper by proposing a decolonial framework that prioritizes local sovereignty, equitable access to resources, and historical accountability to move environmental stewardship toward a just and inclusive future. This paper was completed for the course MAF 500: Race, Gender, Colonialism, and Science (Fall 2023).
Recommended Citation
Wisesa, Nara, "Hantu Laut: The Ghosts of Colonialism in Indonesia’s Marine Conservation" (2023). Graduate Student Scholarship. Paper 1.
https://digitalcommons.uri.edu/graduate-work/1