Hydropolitical Futures and Ecological Spectralities in the Immersive Oceans of the Digital Blue Humanities

This paper explores the intersections of hydropolitics, ecological spectralities, and the Digital Blue Humanities, examining how immersive media such as video games and virtual reality (VR) environments reimagine oceanic futures in the context of the climate crisis. Drawing on theoretical frameworks of water governance, hydro-hegemony, and spectrality, the study analyzes how digital platforms, such as Subnautica, EcoDive, Echo of the Abyss, and REEF, represent both the haunting presence of ecological loss and the speculative possibilities of marine resilience. While these digital environments foster empathy, ecological awareness, and affective engagement, they often risk flattening complex hydropolitical realities into aesthetic experiences or reductive allegories. The paper identifies three core challenges: the oversimplification of ecological and political dynamics, the privileging of spectacle over justice, and limited accessibility for Global South communities most affected by water crises. To address these limitations, the study proposes a multilayered pedagogical and design framework grounded in community participation, systems thinking, reflective loops, equitable access, and cross-disciplinary collaboration. By embedding narratives of indigenous voices, transboundary conflicts, and climate justice into digital media, the Digital Blue Humanities can move beyond passive ecological haunting to inspire active stewardship, policy engagement, and systemic change. Ultimately, the essay argues for reorienting immersive oceans not as aestheticized simulations but as transformative pedagogical spaces that chart just and sustainable hydropolitical futures.