Computer games as political discourse
-
David Machin
Abstract
The paper analyses how the March 1993 American intervention in Somalia is represented in the movie Black Hawk Down and the computer game of the same name. Using a discourse historical approach, the paper combines three methods: (1) analysis of the ‘special operations discourse’ that underlies both film and game, and social actor analysis of the way the parties involved in the conflict are visually and verbally represented; (2) the political history of the conflict represented in the two entertainment products, and the history of the ‘special operations discourse’ itself; and (3) an account of the collaboration between the US military and entertainment industry in the production of both film and game.
Abstract
The paper analyses how the March 1993 American intervention in Somalia is represented in the movie Black Hawk Down and the computer game of the same name. Using a discourse historical approach, the paper combines three methods: (1) analysis of the ‘special operations discourse’ that underlies both film and game, and social actor analysis of the way the parties involved in the conflict are visually and verbally represented; (2) the political history of the conflict represented in the two entertainment products, and the history of the ‘special operations discourse’ itself; and (3) an account of the collaboration between the US military and entertainment industry in the production of both film and game.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- About the Authors vii
- Introduction: The soft power of war 1
- The language of neofeudal corporatism and the war on Iraq 11
- Blair’s contribution to elaborating a new ‘doctrine of international community’ 39
- War rhetoric of a little ally 61
- The Iraq war as curricular knowledge 85
- Computer games as political discourse 109
- Spectacular ethics 129
- Index 145
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- About the Authors vii
- Introduction: The soft power of war 1
- The language of neofeudal corporatism and the war on Iraq 11
- Blair’s contribution to elaborating a new ‘doctrine of international community’ 39
- War rhetoric of a little ally 61
- The Iraq war as curricular knowledge 85
- Computer games as political discourse 109
- Spectacular ethics 129
- Index 145
