Hide Advanced Options
Courses - Spring 2026
ARTH
Art History & Archaeology Department Site
ARTH488Q
Colloquium in Art History; Art History in Video Games: Challenging Orientalism in Contemporary Islamicate Visual Culture
Credits: 3
Grad Meth: Reg, P-F, Aud
Explores representations of Islamicate societies in video games, examining how history, culture, and aesthetics are adapted and reimagined in interactive media. Students will analyze game narratives, visual design, and mechanics to understand how they reflect or distort historical realities. This course will investigate themes such as Orientalism, authenticity, and cultural appropriation. The course incorporates readings from art history, game studies, and postcolonial theory to support critical engagement. Assignments will introduce students to game design processes, focusing on ethical and historically-informed creative processes. No prior gaming experience is required-just a curiosity about the intersection of art, history, and digital culture.