Leveller

Emma and Adam
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Leveller

Welcome to Leveller, the podcast where two academics dive deep into the intersection of video games and politics. Join PhD students Emma Brewis and Adam Cooper as they discuss video games as a medium through which to stretch, challenge, and transform our thinking.   In each episode, they dissect how games reflect, shape, and inform political discourse. Through engaging discussions and interviews with fellow academics, they delve into topics like security, democracy and the influence of gaming communities on real-world politics. Whether you're a seasoned gamer, a political junkie, or simply curious about the ways in which games intersect with the wider world, Leveller has something for you. Join us as we embark on an intellectual journey through the pixels, exploring the rich and complex relationship between video games and politics.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episodes

  1. Christmas Special - Alternative Political Game Awards

    12/13/2024

    Christmas Special - Alternative Political Game Awards

    In this very special final episode of the first season of Leveller, we look back on our year and discuss which games we think deserve some extra attention in our Alternative Political Game Awards. Join us to hear which game got us most thinking about the threat posed to nature by big corporations, which made us think about engagement, our overall best game of the year, and many many more. Game List Adam: Stray Alan Wake 2 Valorant Fortnite Content Warning Chained Together Another Crab's Treasure Baldur's Gate 3 Crusader King's 3 Divinity Original Sin 2 Black Myth Wukong Callisto Protocol Citizen Sleeper Cult of the Lamb Elden Ring Sims 4 Stardew Valley Dead Rising Remaster Deus Ex Mankind Divided Dredge Left 4 Dead 2 Moonring Firewatch Gris Ghostrunner 2 Hades 2 Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name Lorelei and the Laser Eyes Papers, Please Thirsty Suitors Chants of Sennaar Still Wakes the Deep Venba Inscryption Kentucky Route Zero Papa's Quiz Mario Kart Alba Snipperclips Layers of Fear Final Fantasy XVI Silent Hill 2 Thank Goodness You're Here Rainbow Six Siege Helldivers 2 Balatro Emma: World of Goo Papers Please Inside  Gunpoint Error 143 A Date with Death Hades 2 PalWorld Huniepop Boyfriend Dungeon El Paso Elsewhere Dave the Diver Moonring Control Farcry 5 Lorelei and the Laser Eyes Lethal Company Stardew valley Sims Mario Kart Mario Party Snipperclips Alba Kentucky Route Zero Cult of the Lamb Papa's Quiz Tears of the Kingdom Dead Cells Valorant The Finals 2XKO Inscryption Thank Goodness You're Here Write to us! - levellerpodcast@gmail.com Avatars by MostlyPixels / Lunaii @ https://www.avatarsinpixels.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    1 hr
  2. Oliver Booth: Crusader Kings 3 and chaos in the Conservative Party

    09/06/2024

    Oliver Booth: Crusader Kings 3 and chaos in the Conservative Party

    Why do the Tories choose bad leaders? Why are they so divided? And what role does ideology play?  In this episode, we are joined by Oliver Booth, fellow PGR at the University of Leeds and researcher of the Conservative Party and British Politics. We talk to Oli about Crusader Kings 3 (vaguely) to discuss the path to power, party instability, factionalism, and much more! Works mentioned:  Booth, O. (2024). The Downfall of Boris Johnson: Analysing Patterns of Opinion among Conservative Parliamentarians in the Confidence Motion and Mass Resignations. Representation.  Booth et al. (2023). Selecting Sunak: Conservative MPs’ Nomination Preferences in the (Second) British Conservative Party Leadership Election. Parliamentary Affairs. Volume 77, Issue 3, July 2024, pp.450–469. Heppell, T. & Booth, O. (2023) The Conservative Party Leadership Election of 2016. In Roe-Crines, A. S. & Jeffery, D. (eds.) Statecraft: The Policies and Politics of Prime Minister Theresa May. (pp. 13-32). Cham: Springer International Publishing. Find Oli here: https://essl.leeds.ac.uk/politics/pgr/1380/oliver-booth https://www.linkedin.com/in/oliver-booth-a48440188/?originalSubdomain=uk  Write to us! - levellerpodcast@gmail.com Avatars by MostlyPixels / Lunaii @ https://www.avatarsinpixels.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    53 min
  3. Alba: What can Alba teach us about local activism as a response to environmental challenges?

    08/23/2024

    Alba: What can Alba teach us about local activism as a response to environmental challenges?

    In this episode, we discuss Ustwo’s 2020  Alba: A Wildlife Adventure, a heartwarming exploration game in which you play a young girl who documents wildlife and strives to save the local nature reserve from being replaced by a luxury hotel while visiting her grandparents. Join us as we explore what Alba has to say about the trade-offs between economic growth and environmentalism, the power of community action, and the role of young people in changing the world.  Works mentioned: Figueres, C. and Rivett-Carna, T. 2020. The Future We Choose: Surviving the Climate Crisis. New York: Alfred A. Knopf. Leston-Bandeira, C., 2019. Parliamentary petitions and public engagement: an empirical analysis of the role of e-petitions. Policy & Politics, 47(3), pp.415-436. Raworth, K. 2017. Doughnut Economics: Seven Ways to Think like a 21st-Century Economist. London: Random House Business Books. See also: https://doughnuteconomics.org/about-doughnut-economics#what-is-the-doughnut https://www.museumfortheunitednations.com/  Write to us! - levellerpodcast@gmail.com Avatars by MostlyPixels / Lunaii @ https://www.avatarsinpixels.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    50 min
  4. Paul Geyer: What insights does "Watchdogs 2" offer into social media, data and democracy?

    08/09/2024

    Paul Geyer: What insights does "Watchdogs 2" offer into social media, data and democracy?

    What role does social media play in our lives? Is there life after data? And what does the future look like in a world where privacy is a luxury?  In this episode, we welcome Paul Geyer, PGR at the University of Leeds, political theorist and five-a-side football star. We talk to Paul about Watchdogs 2 to discuss what happens to social media after data, neofeudalism and the challenges of privacy. Works mentioned: Arditi, D., 2023. Digital feudalism: Creators, credit, consumption, and capitalism. Emerald Publishing Limited: Bingley  Soares, Ian Varela, Masaru Yarime, and Magdalena Klemun. "Balancing the trade-off between data center development and its environmental impacts: A comparative analysis of Data Center Policymaking in Singapore, Netherlands, Ireland, Germany, USA, and the UK." Environmental Science & Policy 157 (2024): 103769.  Srnicek, N., 2017. Platform capitalism. Polity Press: Cambridge. Unterberger, K. and Fuchs, C., 2021. The public service media and public service internet manifesto (p. 135). University of Westminster Press. Varoufakis, Y. 2023. Technofeudalism: What Killed Capitalism. Random House: London.  Zuboff, S., 2019, January. Surveillance capitalism and the challenge of collective action. In New labor forum (Vol. 28, No. 1, pp. 10-29). Sage CA: Los Angeles, CA: SAGE Publications. Find Paul here: https://essl.leeds.ac.uk/politics/pgr/1383/paul-geyerGeyer, P. 2024. An Uncritiqued Frontier of Social Media: The Social Media Subscription Model. In tripleC: Communication, capitalism & critique (Vol. 22, No. 1, pp.44-58). Write to us! - levellerpodcast@gmail.com Avatars by MostlyPixels / Lunaii @ https://www.avatarsinpixels.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    1h 1m
  5. Papers, Please: Can bureaucracy accommodate morality?

    07/19/2024

    Papers, Please: Can bureaucracy accommodate morality?

    In this podcast episode, we delve into "Papers, Please," the 2013 simulation game which immerses players in the role of an immigration officer in the fictional country of Arstotzka. Through its gameplay mechanics and narrative, we examine the moral dilemmas faced by bureaucrats tasked with enforcing strict border control policies. Join us as we explore whether bureaucratic systems can uphold moral values amidst the complexities of governance and individual decision-making. Works mentioned: Cabellos, B., Pozo, J.I., Marín-Rubio, K. and Sánchez, D.L., 2022. Do pro-social video games promote moral activity?: an analysis of user reviews of Papers, Please. Education and Information Technologies, 27(8), pp.11411-11442. Kelly, M., 2018. The game of politics: Examining the role of work, play, and subjectivity formation in papers, please. Games and Culture, 13(5), pp.459-478.  Morrissette, J., 2017. Glory to Arstotzka: Morality, rationality, and the iron cage of bureaucracy in Papers, Please. Game Studies, 17(1). Yee, N., 2006. The labor of fun: How video games blur the boundaries of work and play. Games and culture, 1(1), pp.68-71.  Write to us! - levellerpodcast@gmail.com Avatars by MostlyPixels / Lunaii @ https://www.avatarsinpixels.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    53 min
  6. Emily Gee: What insights does "The Last of Us Part II" provide about the identities and dynamics of perpetrators and victims of violence?

    07/05/2024

    Emily Gee: What insights does "The Last of Us Part II" provide about the identities and dynamics of perpetrators and victims of violence?

    What is legitimate violence for women? How does emotion guide gendered violence? And who gets to tell women's stories? In this episode, we welcome our friend and scholar Emily Gee, PGR at the University of Leeds. She uses The Last of Us Part II to explore her powerful research on peacekeeper sexual violence, touching on themes of agency, conflict and insecurity. Works mentioned: Beyond Mothers, Monsters, Whores: Thinking about Women's Violence in Global Politics - Caron E. Gentry, Laura Sjoberg (2015)Just add women and stir? - Sahana Dharmapuri (2011)The Continuum of Sexual Violence; in Women, Violence and Social Control - Liz Kelly (1987)On Intersectionality - Kimberly Crenshaw (2017)UN Resolution 1325 Find Emily here: https://twitter.com/EmilyRGee https://essl.leeds.ac.uk/politics/pgr/2187/emily-gee https://www.linkedin.com/in/emily-gee-1b72b0172/  Write to us! - levellerpodcast@gmail.com Avatars by MostlyPixels / Lunaii @ https://www.avatarsinpixels.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    51 min
  7. Stardew Valley: How well does Stardew Valley function as a critique of capitalism, harmful environmental practice, and community?

    06/21/2024

    Stardew Valley: How well does Stardew Valley function as a critique of capitalism, harmful environmental practice, and community?

    What does Stardew Valley have to say about corporations? How does it encourage us to think about and interact with the environment? And is community romanticised in Stardew Valley? In this episode, we discuss Eric Barone's 'cosy game' Stardew Valley, a farming simulator which grapples with how to live well in a difficult world. Join us as we explore these themes and ask ourselves how well Stardew Valley functions as a critique of capitalism. Write to us! - levellerpodcast@gmail.com Avatars by MostlyPixels / Lunaii @ https://www.avatarsinpixels.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    52 min

  8. 06/07/2024

    Ged Hiscoke: What can Deus Ex: Mankind Divided tell us about discrimination, civil unrest, and reintegration?

    What role does employment play in rebuilding after conflict? Can you do peace without justice? And what gets in the way of reintegration ? In this episode, we welcome our friend and colleague Ged Hiscoke, PGR at the University of Leeds. He explores Deus Ex: Mankind Divided through the lens of his fascinating research on the role of employment in preventing conflict. Write to us! - levellerpodcast@gmail.com Avatars by MostlyPixels / Lunaii @ https://www.avatarsinpixels.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    45 min

  9. 05/24/2024

    Night in the Woods: What does it tell us about alienation, nostalgia and deindustrialisation?

    What role does resentment play in shaping our political choices? Why might the left behind be nostalgic, even for a past that never existed? And why might someone turn to sacrificing the young to a demonic Black Goat in order to save a dying town? Join us as we discuss Night in the Woods in an attempt to try to answer these questions and more! Write to us! - levellerpodcast@gmail.com Avatars by MostlyPixels / Lunaii @ https://www.avatarsinpixels.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    53 min
  • 9 Episodes

About

Welcome to Leveller, the podcast where two academics dive deep into the intersection of video games and politics. Join PhD students Emma Brewis and Adam Cooper as they discuss video games as a medium through which to stretch, challenge, and transform our thinking.   In each episode, they dissect how games reflect, shape, and inform political discourse. Through engaging discussions and interviews with fellow academics, they delve into topics like security, democracy and the influence of gaming communities on real-world politics. Whether you're a seasoned gamer, a political junkie, or simply curious about the ways in which games intersect with the wider world, Leveller has something for you. Join us as we embark on an intellectual journey through the pixels, exploring the rich and complex relationship between video games and politics.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Information

  • Creator
    Emma and Adam
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    9
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Emma Brewis
  • Show Website
    Leveller

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