'Those beasts don’t belong in our country.' 'They’ve already bitten dozens of sheep to death, and that's bad enough. What if one of them attacks a child?’ These are just some of the reactions on social media about wolves, which have made a return to the Netherlands after 150 years. How can we ensure that public opinion towards wolves becomes favourable again? Communication Science students pondered that question in a course that included the Dutch Society for the Protection of Animals as a 'client'.
Anyone reading reports in certain newspapers and on social media might come to the conclusion that wolves are devouring sheep on an ongoing basis. In reality, their main menu consists of red deer, roe deer and wild boars. Sheep make up only 1 per cent of their diet, according to German research. It can be clearly stated: wolves have an image problem.
During the course Shaping Society: How Organisations and the Media Influence Public Issues, Master’s students had the choice of different clients: a commercial organisation or an NGO. The client, in consultation with the lecturers, provided a public-affairs problem, and students had to write an evidence-based advice for this, which also focused on developing their communication consultancy skills. The Dutch Society for the Protection of Animals' assignment was to find a way to change this image of wolves from murderous monsters to useful animals that actually enrich our nature.
From positive to grim
First, they made an analysis of the situation, which showed that, while reports about the return of wolves in 2018 were still very positive in nature, the debate was gradually becoming more polarising and grim. 'If nothing is done to counter the negative framing, public opinion will become susceptible to anti-wolf views. This could lead to an irreversible reality where wolves are no longer strictly protected,' the students warn in their final report.
Recommendations: From influencers to lobbying
The students have therefore made several recommendations to the Dutch Society for the Protection of Animals in their report regarding image building, knowledge transfer and lobbying. For example, the students recommend paying attention to responsibility for the cause as well as finding a solution – farmers, for example, are compensated for their sheep bitten to death but do not make proper use of subsidies to protect their animals from any new attacks. The students also recommend that the Dutch Society for the Protection of Animals’ website be overhauled so that all information about wolves can be found in a single place that is easy to find. They also suggest making much more active use of social and other media, as well as influencers, to get the message across to the general public. Finally, the students recommend an indirect lobbying campaign, in which individual citizens put pressure on policymakers to work for wolf protection.
The students are sharp and creative - half a word is enough for them
Niels Kalkman, Press Officer of the Dutch Society for the Protection of Animals
A joy to do every time
'The Dutch Society for the Protection of Animals was very pleased with the advice delivered,' shares Sandra Jacobs, coordinator of the Shaping Society subject. 'They delivered well-researched advice based on scientific analysis and literature, and that approach was hugely appreciated.'
Niels Kalkman, Press Officer of the Dutch Society for the Protection of Animals, can only confirm this: 'We are now doing this for the third year in a row and it is actually a joy to do every time. Collaborating with students is different than I am used to, in the sense that they are sharp and creative. Half a word is enough for them. Especially considering the international nature of the course, and the fact that students are in principle not aware of how this country is organized in terms of nature, it is incredibly impressive how quickly they can master the material. The solutions are useful, but not all applicable one-to-one. But that is more due to the unruliness of our organization and the field in practice than to their efforts. All in all, a very positive experience, worth continuing!'
Dr. S.H.J. (Sandra) Jacobs
Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences
CW : Corporate Communication
S.H.J.Jacobs@uva.nl
Dr M. (Mark) Boukes
Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences
CW : Corporate Communication
M.Boukes@uva.nl +31 (0)20 525 2129
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