Maria Paulsson

About Maria Paulsson

My PhD research lies at the intersection of theory of science, Science and Technology Studies (STS), philosophy of science, and environmental ethics. I critically examine how knowledge, values, and scientific tools shape environmental governance, particularly in the science-policy interface. Focusing on Swedish marine management, my thesis explores how the Ecosystem Approach is implemented as a governance framework intended to support more sustainable marine governance.

A central concern of the thesis is how attempts to move toward more holistic marine management are shaped by existing institutional, epistemic, and ethical conditions. I explore how ecological values are translated into measurable and often economically oriented terms, how models both support and complicate ecosystem-based decision-making, and how local and scientific knowledge interact in management practices.