WGSS 354: Race, Class, & Gender in Video Games

In this course, we will take an interdisciplinary and feminist approach to analyzing the video game genre. We will discuss how race, gender, class, and other socially constructed identities (including but not limited to sexual orientation, dis/ability, and desirability) impact the video game industry, including how they affect what we see on-screen in narratives and characters as well as off-screen in those who create games and those who play them. We will also play video games in addition to reviewing queer theory, critical race theory, documentaries, and other popular media to aid in our analysis. ATTENTION: Playing video games is a required component of this class, though gaming experience or knowledge is NOT necessary.