Representing Animals in the Anthropocene: A Corpus‐Based Ecological Discourse Analysis of The Globe and Mail

ABSTRACT Animals, as an indispensable part of our ecosystem, have been represented in various ways, ranging from sentient beings deserving of the same rights as humans to objects lacking intrinsic value. These representations reflect societal ideologies, which, in turn, influence how people perceive and treat animals and the related ecological issues. This study examines how polar bears, bats, and whales have been represented in relation to three ecological crises of the Anthropocene: climate change, disease transmission and marine pollution. The study focuses on The Globe and Mail , Canada's most influential national newspaper. By applying corpus‐based ecological discourse analysis, the study reveals how animals are portrayed in these environmental crises and uncovers the underlying ideologies at play. These ideologies, such as anthropocentrism, human exceptionalism, and shallow environmentalism, often contradict the ecosophy of ecolinguistics.