| Summary: | Specialization: Conservation Biology Degree: Doctor of Philosophy Abstract: Conservation practitioners increasingly recognize the importance and influence of the social context in conservation outcomes. From local stories to newsprint articles, the language we use, the stories we tell, and the interactions we have with wildlife species can influence human relationships with them. This is particularly true for carnivore species, including bears, which hold a special place in human hearts and imagination, and lived experience. Throughout history and across their geographic range, different bear species have been portrayed and valued for their beauty, power, spiritual connection, ecological significance and kinship values. Bears have also been disliked and feared for their ferocity, and reviled for the negative economic impacts or safety risks they can inflict on people. The depiction of bears across different cultural contexts undoubtedly influences peoples’ proclivity to support conservation action. This dissertation attempts to understand why human relationships with bears, specifically grizzly bears (Ursus arctos) have been positioned as they are, from like to dislike, love to hate, and what this means for their management. I first discuss the rationale and framing for my research, from a conservation science perspective and specifically human dimensions of wildlife. I also discuss why I am personally interested in this field, and my positionality in this research. I then introduce my theoretical perspective, informed by social constructionism, wildlife value orientations, wildlife attitude typology, and primarily qualitative methodology. I also provide orientation to the context of this study, from an overview of grizzly bear status and conservation across their global range, and narrowing to the Alberta, Canada’s endangered species policy context. Then I present a review of stories about bears, from myth and legend, folklore and traditional practices using available English-language literature that helps ...
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