University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Graduate Student, Institute of Communications Research

College of Media

Thesis Title: Videogames as Transnational Media: One Neoliberalism, Many Resistances

About

I successfully defended my Ph.D. in Communications on March 27, 2012.

My dissertation, "Videogames as Transnational Media: One Neoliberalism, Many Resistances" argues that videogames are the digital Tahrir Square of our planet. They are where digital artists, audiences, fans and citizens all across the planet struggle against the plutocrats and giant corporations of the neoliberal era.

The bulk of the dissertation analyzes Hideo Kojima's "Metal Gear Solid 4", and Square Enix' "Final Fantasy 12" as case studies of this contestation. I argue that videogames are not just a vast industry, they are also catalyzing the digital commons.

My research interests are focused on (1)  contemporary videogame culture, and (2) the vibrant postcolonial media cultures of the BRIC nations (Brazil, Russia, India and China), countries which are becoming key hubs of digital media.

In my past life, I was a student of Comparative Literature, and received my first PhD (on 20th century Francophone and German literature, US science fiction, and Theodor Adorno's critical theory) from the University of Oregon in 2000. I eventually returned to school, in order to become a full-time media scholar.

In 2001, I wrote a book on late 20th century television culture ("The World is Watching", published by Southern Illinois University Press in 2003). I also write a quarterly review of gaming and other transnational media called "Uplink".

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