User:Berna Bereit Master Thesis Outline

What do you WANT to write? [What will the text be about? (thesis). What do you want to explore?

The thesis is concerned with analyzing how trade unions and labor movements are portrayed in video games. This includes the examination of narrative strands, game mechanics and aesthetic elements that focus on class struggles and collective organizations in games such as Red Dead Redemption 2 and Bioshock Infinite. It will also address the issue of trade unionism within the games industry itself, particularly in relation to the working conditions of developers.

The research builds on existing work in game studies, social theory and art studies that examine video games as a medium of social reflection.

The project builds on previous work on collective movements and their representation in digital media and expands the discourse to include the question of how class struggles and labor movements are visually and narratively realized in games. At the same time, the consideration of current working conditions (for example crunch culture) in the games industry itself will add an additional, practice-relevant dimension to the thesis.

Be clear about HOW you want to tell your story.

In the format of an academic language the thesis will be focussing on theoretical research, game analysis and current game developments.

In the theoretical research academic literature on trade unions in the fields of social theory, cultural and game studies will be examined. Analyzing the history of trade unions and labor movements in art, film and literature as a context for representation in video games.

On a selection of relevant games that address labor unions and workers’ struggles, explicit insights on the depiction can be gained. Examing the narrative and mechanical implementation of trade union themes in these games as well as analyzing the visual aesthetics and design of these games in relation to labor movements are part of the second part in the thesis.

In the third part parallels will be drawn to the game industry and current union movements for example at Microsoft.

Concluding in a discussion on how games as a medium reflect on social realities and which narrative and aesthetic decisions lead to a critical examination of labor struggles, the thesis will combine the theoretical and analytic exploration.

Outline three key issues you want to explore. (Please think of only 3 key issues):

Issue 01

video games as growing medium that are increasingly used as a platform for social and political discourse

Issue 02

understanding how the visual and narrative design of games affects the perception of social realities and to what extent these representations can stimulate reflection on labor struggles

Issue 03

Labor Unions in the game industry as a response to working conditions (crunch culture)

Version 2

1 Intro aka WHAT do you want to research: Is it clear what this text is about? What is its central research question?

[Kurze einführende Sätze, die zum Thema hinleiten]

»Videogames are perhaps the most significant development in the modern popular arts, and they provide a fertile field of study for philosophers of the arts (and philosophers more generally).« (Robson, J., Grant, T. (Eds.), 2018)

»I wonder if it is not time for game design to start being a spatial exercise tool through which we, protesters, can practice and acquire urban tactics that stand against the state’s oppression?« (Bashady, H., 2022)

The thesis deals with the analysis of the representation of trade unions and labour movements in video games. This includes the examination of narrative threads, game mechanics and aesthetic elements that focus on labour struggles and collective organisations in games such as Red Dead Redemption 2 and Bioshock Infinite. It also addresses the issue of trade unionism in the games industry itself, particularly in relation to the working conditions of developers.

The research builds on existing work in games studies, social theory and art studies that examine video games as a medium of social reflection.

The project builds on previous work on collective movements and their representation in digital media and extends the discourse to consider how class struggles and labour movements are visually and narratively represented in games. At the same time, by looking at current working conditions (e.g. crunch culture) in the games industry itself, an additional, practice-relevant dimension is introduced into the work.

will argue that these themes are not actually, as one might expect, evoked most strongly through its “mandatory” ludic elements, the playing of BioShock Infinite, or its main plot but via its (often optional) visual aspects, the way it presents the city of Columbia to players.

2 For each proposed chapter: Is it clear what this chapter will look into and is it clear how it relates and works towards answering the central research question?.The thesis is divided into four main chapters, which focus on theoretical research, game analysis and current game developments.

The theoretical research analyses the academic literature on trade unions in the fields of social theory, cultural studies and game studies. Analysing the history of trade unions and labour movements in art, film and literature as a context for representation in video games.

Explicit insights into the representation can be gained from a selection of relevant games that deal with trade unions and labour disputes. The examination of the narrative and mechanical implementation of trade union themes in these games as well as the analysis of the visual aesthetics and design of these games in relation to the labour movement are part of the second part of the thesis. The qualitative focus will be on a selection of games that provide exemplary insights into various narratives and game spaces.

In the third part, parallels will be drawn with the games industry and current trade union movements, for example at Microsoft.

Finally, we will discuss how games as a medium reflect social realities and which narrative and aesthetic decisions lead to a critical examination of labour disputes.

3 Method aka HOW will you go about answering your research question: Is there a choice of research method and if so, is it a good fit with the central research question?

• Analyzing how exactly certain elements are represented in the game, how they work narratively and visually, will allow me to contextualize the game within questions of morality and justice

4 Mode of address aka HOW you want to tell your story.: Is there a choice for a mode of address and if so, does it fit the topic and method of the thesis?

TBA

5 Some References and Sources

Aarseth, E., Günzel, S. (Eds.), 2019. Ludotopia: Spaces, Places and Territories in Computer Games, 1st ed, Edition Medienwissenschaft. transcript Verlag, Bielefeld, Germany. https://doi.org/10.14361/9783839447307

Bashady, Hamza. 2022. A Passive Mob: How Video Games Silence Dissent. Online. URL: https://futuress.org/stories/a-passive-mob]

Robson, J., Grant, T. (Eds.), 2018. The Aesthetics of Videogames, 1. Edition. ed. Routledge, New York.

Schubert, S., 2018. Dystopia in the Skies: Negotiating Justice and Morality on Screen in the Video Game BioShock Infinite. ejas. https://doi.org/10.4000/ejas.14089

Woodcock, Jamie, 2019. Marx at the Arcade - Consoles, Controllers, and Class Struggles. Haymarket Books, Chicago.