JOURNAL INFORMATION
Seychelles Research Journal is published twice a year, in February and August. The aim of this online, open access journal is to demonstrate the vibrancy of research in and about Seychelles. Boundaries are drawn loosely to include comparable issues elsewhere in the western Indian Ocean and in small island states further afield.
Information on how to submit proposed articles and on the refereeing process is explained elsewhere in the website. New proposals are always encouraged.
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Editor: Dennis Hardy
Deputy Editor/Web Design: Jane Woolfenden
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International Advisers:
- Ashton Berry, Consultant, Australia
- David Brewster, National Security College, Australia
- Christian Bueger, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
- Jean-Pierre Cabestan, Hong Kong Baptist University
- Geoffrey Harris, Durban University of Technology, South Africa
- Kelly Hoareau, University of Tasmania, Australia
- Pascal Nadal, Diocesan Service of Catholic Education, Mauritius
- Peter Rudge, University of Staffordshire, UK
- Nilanthi Samaranayake, CNA, USA
- Jivanta Schottli, Dublin City University, Ireland
- Erika Techera, University of Western Australia
- Kris Valaydon, Founding Editor, Island Studies, Mauritius
Internal Advisers:
- Penda Choppy, Creole Language and Culture Research Institute
- Christine Pejakovic, Education and Socio-Economic Research Institute
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This is a publication of the University of Seychelles http://www.unisey.ac.sc
The views and opinions represented in this publication are not necessarily those of the institutions to which the authors and/or advisers are affiliated and, additionally, should not be attributed to the publisher.
©2025 – Seychelles Research Journal, The University of Seychelles
Cover photograph © Jane Woolfenden
ISSN 1659-7435
CONTENTS
♦ EDITORIAL
Read the editorial here: Editorial-Seychelles_Research_Journal-7-(2)
♦ ARTICLES
Hegemony in Eurasia, the Joining of the Euro-Atlantic and Indo-Pacific, and the Enduring Relevance of Mackinder’s Heartland Theory ♦ Page 3 ♦
Brendon J. Cannon
Halford Mackinder’s century-old geopolitical theories retain striking relevance for contemporary international relations and security. His identification of Eurasia’s ‘Heartland’ and ‘pivot area’ forms a foundation for understanding today’s emerging security architecture linking the Euro-Atlantic and Indo-Pacific regions. This article reassesses Mackinder’s insights amid China’s rising hegemonic ambitions and Russia’s assertiveness, demonstrating how counterbalancing strategies reinforce the enduring importance of Eurasia’s rimlands. It also examines Mackinder’s later refinements – such as the ‘Midland Ocean’ concept and air power’s impact on strategy – and considers the geostrategic role of smaller states like Seychelles and Taiwan. Despite criticisms of geographic determinism and historical associations, Mackinder’s core arguments remain vital, underscoring how geography continues to shape power, alliances, and global distributions. As today’s centre of gravity shifts toward the Indo-Pacific, Mackinder’s theoretical legacy offers a durable framework for interpreting evolving geopolitical realities.
Read the full article here: Hegemony_in_Eurasia-the_Joining_of_the_Euro-Atlantic_and_Indo-Pacific-and_the_Enduring_Relevance_of_Mackinder’s_Heartland_Theory-Brendon_J_Cannon-Seychelles_Research_Journal-7-(2)
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A Bird’s-Eye View of the Sociolinguistic Landscape of Seychelles ♦ Page 18 ♦
Mats Deutschmann
The article gives an overview of Seychelles’ language ecology in various domains including politics, the judiciary, education, media, religion as well as the language practices ‘in the street’ and of everyday informal communication. In Seychelles, Kreol Seselwa serves as the primary language for informal oral communication, while English dominates in formal oral contexts. This dynamic shifts depending on the domain. For instance, in the judiciary, English is exclusively used for official oral proceedings, whereas all debates in the National Assembly are conducted in Kreol Seselwa. In the education system, Kreol Seselwa is the medium of instruction during the first two years, after which English becomes the primary language. In written communication, English overwhelmingly prevails, except for the verbatim records of political debates in the National Assembly, which are transcribed in Kreol Seselwa. French, meanwhile, plays only a minor role, mainly in religious and cultural contexts, such as traditional songs. Seychellois language ideologies surrounding Kreol Seselwa and English are complex and often contradictory. While many Seychellois take pride in their mother tongue, viewing it as a core part of their national identity and recognizing its importance in national language policy, negative perceptions persist, particularly regarding its formal use in education and professional settings. These conflicting attitudes likely stem from the country’s colonial history and evolving societal structures. The article closes with identifying gaps in current sociolinguistic research where language use and code mixing in social media is identified as a particularly interesting area of investigation.
Read the full article here: A_Bird’s-Eye_View_of_the_Sociolinguistic_Landscape_of_Seychelles-Mats_Deutschmann-Seychelles_Research_Journal-7-(2)
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A Critique of the Climate Change Legal Regimes ♦ Page 34 ♦
Proceed Manatsa
The focus of this article is on assessing the weaknesses of the Climate Change Legal Regimes (CCLRs) from an international and policy standpoint. Through doctrinal and comparative analyses, the article presents a critical perspective on the extent to which the main legal instruments in the form of international treaties, namely the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), Kyoto Protocol, and Paris Protocol, are effective in addressing climate change. The article establishes that the existing frameworks are not only inadequate, but have also fallen short of the level of ambition required to put the world on course to achieving a low-carbon trajectory. The findings of this article provide a basis for the development of policies which are better than the existing ones. In addition, by identifying gaps in the existing legal structure, this research encourages further academic discourse on fairer and more efficient international environmental policy reforms.
Read the full article here: A_Critique_of_the_Climate_Change_Legal_Regimes-Proceed_Manatsa-Seychelles_Research_Journal-Volume_7-(2)
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Creole and Book Festivals: Globalization and Heritage Preservation in Indian Ocean Archipelagos ♦ Page 52 ♦
Rosa Beunel-Fogarty
The paper is the transcript of a presentation given by Dr Rosa Beunel-Fogarty during an Interdisciplinary Research Seminar at the University of Seychelles. The presentation was organized by the Creole Language and Culture Research Institute at the University of Seychelles.
Read the full article here: Creole_and_Book_Festivals-Globalization_and_Heritage_Preservation_in_Indian_Ocean_Archipelagos-Rosa_Beunel-Fogarty-Seychelles-Research_Journal-7-(2)
♦ CONFERENCE REPORT
IEEE 12th Joint Conference of Cybernetics and Computational Cybernetics, Cyber-Medical Systems, Mahé, Seychelles, 9-11 April 2025 ♦ Page 64 ♦
♦ RESEARCH NOTES
Seychelles: Assessing its International Agency ♦ Page 69 ♦
Seychelles-Assessing_its_International_Agency-Derek_McDougall-Seychelles_Research_Journal-7-(2)
Seychelles Research Journal 