Editorial introduction : sharing stories of island life, governance and global engagement : research from a conference on island states and territories

Abstract

The papers in this special section of Small States & Territories journal emerged from a conference held in Aruba during March 2019. Titled “Island states and island territories: Sharing stories of island life, governance and global engagement”, the conference attracted over one hundred Aruban, Caribbean and international scholars and practitioners to share their research and stories on how the political status of island jurisdictions – and specifically small island states (SIS) and subnational island jurisdictions (SNIJs) – approached issues of sustainable development, climate change and everyday life. These six papers reflect the nature of the conference and are a microcosm of Aruba itself: culturally and intellectually diverse, incorporating the influences of several regions and peoples, and reflecting an age range in authorship that bodes well for the future of island enquiry and island life.