IMC 2020: Sessions

Session 1552: Medieval and Modern Identities in Games, I: Racial and National Identities

Thursday 9 July 2020, 09.00-10.30

Sponsor:	The Public Medievalist / Centre for Medieval & Renaissance Research, University of Winchester
Organiser:	Victoria Cooper, School of English, University of Leeds
Moderator/Chair:	Victoria Cooper, School of English, University of Leeds
Paper 1552-a	Norse Mythology in Video Games: A Vector of Nordic Image? (Language: English) Lysiane Lasausse, Department of History University of Helsinki Index terms: Computing in Medieval Studies, Medievalism and Antiquarianism
Paper 1552-b	Memeing, Gaming, and Crusading: Racism, Violence, and Humour in Video Game Spaces (Language: English) Joseph Ickowski, School of English University of St Andrews Index terms: Computing in Medieval Studies, Medievalism and Antiquarianism
Paper 1552-c	Playing the Hispanic Middle Ages with Computer Strategy Video Games From 1999 to 2019 (Language: English) Ángel Alexis González Rodríguez, Independent Scholar Santa Cruz de Tenerife Index terms: Computing in Medieval Studies, Medievalism and Antiquarianism, Politics and Diplomacy
Abstract	Many modern games with medieval elements and many of the communities which surround these games have proven fertile grounds for the promotion of racist and nationalist agendas. Games set in medieval or fantasy worlds tend to erase people of colour in favour of a ubiquitously white Middle Ages. Many of these games attract extreme nationalist groups looking to promote their own xenophobic vision of the past. The papers within this session address the portrayals of race and and nationality across a range of gaming genres and consider the extension of these themes and issues into gaming communities.