Alaska has its share of black, brown, and polar bears. God help you if a polar is on your tail. You're food for them. Thankfully, I don't visit Alaska's Western and Northern Coasts that often.
Large blacks are about the same in Alaska -- viscous. Though, they can be fought off by a strong man who is equally aggressive or viscous. I figure they are the most unpredictable and dangerous.
Thankfully, most brown bears (Kodiaks aside) are easily shooed away. Just gently let the bear know you are there and are human -- from as far away as possible. That will usually drive them in the opposite direction. Don't run or otherwise provoke an instinctive chase in the bear, leaving the bear thinking you're prey. Provoke the FLIGHT in the brownie; gently let the bear know you're there and slowly back up. If you cannot scare the bear away with final shouts and flailing arms and are attacked, curl up into a ball, with your hands laced behind your neck, protecting it.
If a brownie attacks, it's usually because it was unexpectedly surprised/frightened while the human was up close. It attacked instinctively. Usually, that precipitates being knocked down, raked with claws and bitten. After that, they usually run off. Humans are not food for a brown bear -- they won't eat you.
Browns will kill you if... you intrude upon their kill, such as a half buried moose carcass that's being tenderized. Or, if you get between a mama and her cubs. That's a bad scene as well.
It's the large blackies that raise the hairs on the back of my neck. I've been stalked by one; one got as close as about 75 yards, hanging around for over a half hour. I was just north of the Arctic Circle and about 1 to 2 miles east of the Dalton Hwy at the time. Luckily, I had my 10MM glock on me. Would've used it if I had to.
There ends the story of Alaska's three bears and protecting yourself.
Don't even get me started on winter driving on Alaska's remote "bush" roads. That's a whole story, though most of the thorough suggestions about what to take in your vehicle (above) are good/great. We do the same here.