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AMERICAN CULTURE STUDIES (L98)  (Dept. Info)Arts & Sciences  (Policies)FL2018
L98 AMCS 4252Seminar in Video Games: Video Games, Gender and Sexuality3.0 Units
Description:Attention to the prevalence of sexist and racist harassment in video game culture has intensified since the events of GamerGate in 2014 which targeted women in game design with violent threats, pushing many out of the industry. And yet, this aspect of video game culture can be traced back to the overwhelmingly male spaces of defense computing where they began and the video arcades in which they were popularized in the 1980s. In this course, we will interrogate this long history by analyzing video game texts and play cultures and their relationship to gender and sexuality. The course will begin with an introduction to key concepts in video game studies such as play, games, agency, simulation, and procedural rhetoric. We will then use these concepts to analyze the way that ideas about gender and sexuality are constructed and reinforced in games and how players interact with these systems. The focus throughout will be on understanding the contributions that feminist and queer theory offer for the study of video games. We will explore how textual representation, technological hardware, and codes and algorithms of gaming are all intertwined with questions of gender and sexuality. How do we think of representations of gender, sexuality, and race differently when they are executed on cybernetic platforms in which players interact with digital machines? How do textual representations of gender, race, and sexuality intersect with the cultures within the video game industry and with fan practices? Prior experience or skills with video games is not necessary and the class welcomes all levels of gamers and non-gamers as long as students are interested in engaging with games. REQUIRED SCREENINGS: Tuesdays @ 7pm
Attributes:A&S IQ: HUMArch: HUMArt: HUMBU: HUMEN: H
Instruction Type:Classroom instruction Grade Options:CPA Fees:
Course Type:IdentSame As:L53 425  L77 425AFrequency:None / History
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