Extinction studies: imagining a world without bees

The increasing precariousness of life on Earth has firmly established that we are now living through the sixth mass extinction. What distinguishes this mass extinction event from previous mass extinction events is that it is being primarily driven by anthropogenic behaviours. In direct response to the biocultural nature of current extinction events, there has emerged a body of literature calling for stories which address the social, cultural, and ecological dimensions of extinction processes. This thesis directly responds to this call for stories, constructing an extinction story which examines the decline of bee populations. The story told through this thesis begins with an examination of human interactions with bees throughout history, as well as the central known reasons for their current decline. This thesis proceeds to concentrate on how the decline of bees has been narrated and challenged throughout the creative arts. To examine this, this thesis pays specific attention to the stories of creative practitioners who have been inspired to creatively respond to the decline of bees. By focusing on the stories of this community of creative practitioners - a focus which is inspired by the rich influx of bee-inspired creative projects in recent years - this thesis considers how the lives of threatened nonhuman species are imbued with value, how ecological action is directed and inspired, and the role that the creative arts might play in shaping extinction events. Drawing on this research, this thesis fundamentally demonstrates that current extinction events are as much matters of society and culture as they are of biology and ecology. This thesis further contributes to the ongoing calls for extinction stories, suggesting that narrative-based engagements with extinction processes open up critical questions about our role in, and responsibility for, the lives of lost or dying nonhuman species.