Tales of the sea: Seafarers’ sense of place in the management of socialities and safety culture at sea

Abstract

Workplaces can be tricky for migrant workers like seafarers to navigate, especially on board cargo ships which in recent times have become multi-ethnic in composition. Diverse cultures and individual differences can pose challenges to working relationships on board, which in turn can have negative implications on operational safety. In this context, the article highlights the role of seafarers’ sense of place in enacting harmonious socialities and safety culture on board. Sense of place refers to marked positioning in space where seafarers conduct themselves in relation to others in terms of hierarchy. In turn, this helps fashion the collective mind among seafarers as a way of dealing with the challenges of life at sea, including operational safety on board. This article draws from data gathered from fieldwork on board four ocean-going cargo ships and informal conversations with seafarers in seafarer centers in the United Kingdom between 2010 and 2020.