Studies in Arts and Performance (380-0-1)
Topic
Asian American Gaming
Instructors
Tara Fickle
Meeting Info
Kresge Centennial Hall 2-329: Mon, Wed 12:30PM - 1:50PM
Overview of class
Asian/American gaming is a unique and timely phenomenon. How do games reflect US-Asian geopolitics, from where game hardware is produced and disposed of, and where much video game art and programming is outsourced, to the PR scandal of US-sponsored esports players supporting Hong Kong sovereignty? How does the association of Asians with video games interact with long-standing racial stereotypes of Asians as unplayful or robotic? Students will read and write about gaming, play (and possibly make) games, and hear from Asian/American game developers.
Learning Objectives
Describe how gender, racial, class, and sexual difference have shaped digital media, and how video games have in turn re-shaped forms of identity and representation.
Discuss, present, and write about ideas and insights relating to digital media and games.
Expand your understanding of technology and design thinking through the construction of a video game.
Critically evaluate games in terms of their MDA (mechanics, dynamics, and aesthetics) and their historical and cultural context.
Connect the concerns of "virtual" worlds to ongoing debates in contemporary political and cultural life, particularly in terms of US-Asian geopolitics, and reflect on your consumption of popular culture.
Class Materials (Required)
All readings will be available on canvas
Games will be purchased online through Steam or twitch.io, no more than $50 total
Class Attributes
Literature & Fine Arts Distro Area