“The Bear Is Innocent!” Nature 2.0 and its Coexistence with Humans

The article examines the question of how the concepts of nature and coexistence 2.0 have been constructed in the web 2.0 space, as well as their importance for conservation policy and decision making regarding human-nature coexistence. The object of analysis is the widely known case of a human-brown bear conflict that occurred near the town of Belitsa, municipality f Razlog, which initiated heated debates in the web 2.0 space in the context of the “innocence” of the brown bear. The analysis of the discussions falls within popular discourse of “re-connection” and “living in harmony” with nature constructed by global environmental agencies, as well as within the novel calls and proposals for coexistence between humans and nature. The article concludes that the construction of nature and coexistence 2.0 appears to serve conservation goals, but foregrounds their paradox of re-connecting with nature yet living at a distance from it.