Proceedings of The 6th International Academic Conference on Humanities and Social Sciences
Year: 2021
DOI:
Engaging International Relations with Videogames
Zafeirakis, P. & Kouzinou, A. & Koutsoukis, N-S. & Sarela, S. & Fakiolas, E-T
ABSTRACT:
The purpose of this study is to examine how video games are related and embedded into the discipline of international relations. Firstly, we explore the general relationship between video games and international relations. We find that video games reflecting popular culture represent the theory, praxis and norms of world politics. We also shed light on the way in which IR scholars use games as a pedagogical tool in the process of university education. We find that simulation and role-playing games are an alternative way for teaching the theory and praxis of international relations. Nevertheless, the military is the main area in which video games are extensively used. Indeed, most of the games deal with war and, therefore, we study how war and enemies are depicted in the IR literature. We conclude that video games affect and are shaped by international relations through different ways and processes. For this reason, they are a field of study in the discipline of international relations.
keywords: education; gaming; military; terrorism; war.