Beyond Stereotypes: Exploring the Multi-layered Portray of China in and around Video Games

Li, Mengqi (2024) Beyond Stereotypes: Exploring the Multi-layered Portray of China in and around Video Games. Doctoral thesis, Birmingham City University.

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Abstract

The field of video game studies positions games as complex cultural texts that reflect, interact with, and sometimes challenge the image of a nation or culture. This dissertation explores how China is constructed and interpreted in digital spaces and how these representations contribute to discussions about identity, cultural exchange, and power dynamics in global gaming. By examining both Western and Chinese-developed games, this thesis investigates video games as platforms that both mirror and influence perceptions and relationships between China and the West.

The theoretical foundation of this thesis is built on several key theories, notably Althusser’s concept of ideology and Said’s Orientalism, along with its extensions into neo-Orientalism, Sinological Orientalism, and Occidentalism. These theoretical frameworks are essential for analysing how video games reflect and reinforce ideological constructs related to China. Viewing ideology as pervasive and constant offers a framework for analysing how video games reinforce and challenge prevailing ideologies within their cultural context. Orientalism and its derivatives are crucial for scrutinising China’s representation in video games and the wider geopolitical and cultural dynamics involved.

For a comprehensive understanding of video games as cultural artifacts, it is crucial to explore the interplay between procedural design, narrative representation, and the discourses surrounding video games. This research focuses on the relationship between gameplay and storytelling in video games, unveiling the interactions between gameplay mechanics, narrative structures, and player agency. Employing ‘play’ as a methodological approach, the research uses procedural rhetoric, ludo-narrative, and the concepts of ludo-narrative dissonance and coherence to understand how video games shape the player’s understanding of China’s depiction and the China-West relationship. Methodologically, the research employs Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) to scrutinise both game design and player interactions. The selected games include “Civilization V,” “Assassin’s Creed Chronicles: China,” “Chinese Parents,” “Chinese Paladin: Sword and Fairy,” “The Wall,” “Devotion,” and “Animal Farm: China.” The analysis uses theoretical approaches discussed before, such as procedural rhetoric, ludo-narrative, and ludo-narrative dissonance/coherence to dissect the portrayal of China in and around video games.

The findings reveal a multi-layered representation of China in both Western and Chinese games. In Western games, China is depicted through Orientalist and Sinological Orientalist lenses, reflecting stereotypical interpretations aligned with contemporary China threat theories, while also highlighting similarities between China and the West. This image is often challenged by players through in-game actions such as playing and modding, as well as out-of-game actions like forum discussions. In contrast, Chinese games negotiate the “exclusiveness” of Chinese culture, presenting a multi-layered Chineseness and the relationship between China and the Western world. An authentic Chinese lifestyle is presented, alongside distinct cultural references unique to China. However, the experiences and embedded values are not exclusive to Chinese culture, allowing Chineseness to be appreciated by individuals from diverse cultural backgrounds. The political discourse within and around these games amplifies the differences between China and the Western world, with players exercising their agency to express their interpretations of these representations. This exercise of agency can be seen as a confrontation between two discourse systems, Orientalism and Occidentalism, perpetuating the dualism between the East and the West.

Item Type:	Thesis (Doctoral)
Dates:	Date Event 19 January 2024 Submitted 27 September 2024 Accepted
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Video game, Orientalism, Chineseness, procedural rhetoric, national image
Subjects:	CAH24 - media, journalism and communications > CAH24-01 - media, journalism and communications > CAH24-01-05 - media studies
Divisions:	Doctoral Research College > Doctoral Theses Collection Faculty of Arts, Design and Media > College of English and Media
Depositing User:	Jaycie Carter
Date Deposited:	22 Oct 2024 15:07
Last Modified:	22 Oct 2024 15:07
URI:	https://www.open-access.bcu.ac.uk/id/eprint/15919

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