Week 9: Herzog, Videogames, and the Environment Flashcards
Who is Werner Herzog and why is he of interest to this module?
Werner Herzog is a film producer interested in how images develop artistic truths which hold value.
Why is Herzog often called a problematic director?
Herzog is a criticised figure for believing that everything is worth creating artistic images, regardless of the cost.
How does Herzog depict landscape?
“Herzog’s depiction of landscape finds echoes in romanticist strands of European thought, displaying a tension between pantheistic portrayals of nature as a source of spiritual unity and existential portrayals of nature as hostile other” (Gandy, 1996)
How does Herzog engage with geographical imaginaries?
Herzog develops imaginaries as a way to access the inaccessible. The hidden-away, the sublime elements of nature,
How does Herzog use film as a medium of expression?
- Herzog’s films mediate nature by the social. Using unique commentary, interviews and cast involvement, Herzog contests the traditional view of landscapes, making visible the techniques used.
- Herzog places humans as active influences.
When engaging with videogames, what questions do Geographers raise?
Representational (geographies of and in) and Non-representational Questions
What are the geographies of video games?
Videogames as media commodities are consumed unevenly, influenced by access to technology and capital. They reflect the broader, uneven geographies of cyber-space and highlight the digital divide in digital literacy and skills.
How are geographies represented in videogames?
Videogames often include problematic portrayals of gender relations and cultural stereotypes. They create spatial narratives that influence players’ perceptions of real-world spaces.
How does non-representational theory apply to videogames?
Engagement with video games affects how players experience space and time. The interactivity reconfigures the relationship between bodies and space, challenging the narrative of Cartesian disembodiment.
How do videogames narrate cultural geography?
Games like Minecraft and GTA IV create photorealistic, open-ended worlds that serve as reflections and narrations of cultural geography, even when they depict fantasy worlds.
What is the relationship between videogames and military strategy?
Videogames illustrate the ties between game theory, military strategy and simulation. They can legitimise military interventions and act as recruitment tools.
How are videogames used beyond entertainment?
Videogames are used for practical applications like planning and building, demonstrating their utility in fields like urban planning and architecture.
How does militarisation manifest in videogame culture?
The consumption of videogame violence and the militarisation of games reflect and influence geopolitical discourses of war and security.
What is the MIME-NET?
The Military, Industrial, Media, Entertainment Complex suggests a vast interconnectedness between videogames and military consumption, reflecting a broader cultural and economic phenomenon.
What does Ash (2009) argue? What thought does this stem from?
Inspired by phenomenology (human experience), Ash et al., (2009) argue that videogames offer a novel way of visualising and engaging with GIS data. It stems from the idea that videogame graphics engines serve as “modes-of-image-making” that help in recontextualizing abstract information within a human horizon of embodied meaning. (simplifies complex data). They argue it is important to remain aware of the changing relationships between tech and perception.
