Postcolonial Eurogames?: A Social Semiotic Exploration of the Representations Made In Eurogames
Author
Nowak, Svenia
Term
4. term
Publication year
2016
Submitted on
2016-05-31
Abstract
Brætspil er populær social underholdning, men de er også kulturelle tekster, der kan bære antagelser om de steder, mennesker og kulturer, de skildrer. Eurogames-genren engagerer spillere via temaer som 'Orienten' eller 'junglen'. Disse temaer præsenterer vestlige målgrupper for perspektiver på andre steder og kan afspejle magtforhold mellem spilleren og den opfattede 'anden'. Med udgangspunkt i Bruno Faiduttis essay 'Postcolonial Catan' (2014) undersøger specialet betydningerne i Five Tribes (2014) og Cacao (2015) ud fra et postkolonialt perspektiv, dvs. hvordan fremstillinger af 'andre' steder afspejler magtforhold og arven fra kolonitiden. Specialet anvender to metoder: en socialsemiotisk analyse af hvert spil for at afdække (skjulte) betydninger og to fokusgrupper (tre deltagere i hver) for at få indblik i, hvordan casual og regelmæssige spillere oplever temaer og repræsentationer. Deltagerne blev præsenteret for spillene og spillede dem, hvorefter deres samtaler blev analyseret tematisk. Analysen viser, at både Cacao og Five Tribes anvender stereotyper og et kolonialt blik på de steder og mennesker, de fremstiller. Spillene placerer desuden spilleren i en magtposition, hvor vedkommende styrer arbejdskraft og liv i fjerne, eksotiske omgivelser, hvilket vækker associationer til kolonitidens dynamikker.
Board games are popular social entertainment, but they are also cultural texts that carry assumptions about the places, people, and cultures they depict. The Eurogame genre draws players in with themes like the 'Orient' or the 'jungle'. These themes present Western target players with perspectives on other places and can signal power relations between players and the perceived 'other'. Inspired by Bruno Faidutti's essay 'Postcolonial Catan' (2014), this thesis examines the meanings in Five Tribes (2014) and Cacao (2015) from a postcolonial perspective—that is, how portrayals of 'other' places reflect power relations and the legacy of colonialism. Two methods were used: a social semiotic analysis of each game to uncover (hidden) meanings, and two focus groups (three participants in each) to explore how casual and regular players interpret the games' themes and representations. Participants were introduced to the games, played them, and then discussed them; their discussions were analyzed thematically. Findings show that both Cacao and Five Tribes rely on stereotyped depictions and a colonial gaze toward the places and people represented. The games also place players in a position of power, managing labor and life in distant, exotic settings, echoing colonial-era dynamics.
[This abstract was generated with the help of AI]
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