The Mobilities of Ships

Book excerpt: We live in a world that is ever on the move, as is increasingly recognised within research on mobilities. Yet studies of mobility have failed to ‘go to sea’ with the same enthusiasm as mobilities ashore. When we consider mobility, we most often examine those movements that evidently form part of our everyday lives. We forget to look outwards to the sea. Yet ships have played – and continue to play – a significant role in shaping socio-cultural, political and economic life. This book turns our attention to the manifold mobilities that occur at sea through an exploration of the mobilities of ships themselves as well as the movements of objects, subjects and ideas that are mobilised by ships. The Mobilities of Ships brings together seven chapters that tack through unexplored waters and move between diverse case studies, including pirate ships, naval vessels and luxury yachts. In so doing, The Mobilities of Ships offers a rich insight into the world of shipping mobilities past and present. This book was published as a special issue of Mobilities.