University of Silesia in Katowice

It can be said that the research in this project is conducted in virtual reality, because most of it comes down to playing games and searching their worlds for different representations and problematisation of biopolitics. The research focuses on developing a typology and creating a map of individual elements of digital worlds, game mechanics or ideological representations of different ways of controlling life. This means that we are looking for a certain generalised schema that would be useful when comparing narratives problematising the functioning of various positive and negative social visions.

Reason for the research:

We want to better understand how people construct narratives about managing life, what patterns appear in these narratives, and how video games represent and shape our concept of power, protection or extermination of other beings, groups or civilizations. By studying games, we want to find out more about our views on politics, economy and society, also in times of biopolitical restrictions related to the pandemic. What fears, behaviours and ways of thinking are constructed in games and presented to players as models for understanding phenomena such as the state of exception, migration, annihilation. What biopolitical opportunities do games offer us, players?

Results of the research:

The main output of our research will be an insight into the cultural importance of games as carriers of various biopolitical solutions. Our typology will deepen your knowledge of games as an important medium, which creates ideological models for understanding and rethinking both real as well as fictional systems of exercising power over life and death. Mapping immunological paradigms in games tells us what games offer in our understanding of biopolitics.