Knowing the Littoral: Perception and Representation of Terraqueous Spaces in a Global Perspective

Littorals are interfaces between worlds, where land and water meet and mingle. Central to human interaction with the sea, these regions, veritable staging grounds for globalization, have been thoroughly analyzed, mostly as discrete singularities, important for their unique local features. The global ocean is, however, a medium of physical, biological, and cultural connection among littorals. Each shore is thus also part of the global coastline. Building on this idea, this Focus section brings to the forefront and historicizes the interconnectedness of coasts and littoral knowledge on a planetary scale.

Automated summary

This article discusses littorals as important interfaces where land and water meet, serving as core areas for human interaction with the sea. While littorals are often studied for their unique and significant local features, the global ocean is actually a medium connecting littoral regions through physical, biological, and cultural means, making each shore a part of the global coastline.