Leveller

By: Emma and Adam
  • Summary

  • 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.

    Emma Brewis
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Episodes
  • Christmas Special - Alternative Political Game Awards
    Dec 13 2024

    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.

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    1 hr
  • Oliver Booth: Crusader Kings 3 and chaos in the Conservative Party
    Sep 6 2024

    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.

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    53 mins
  • Alba: What can Alba teach us about local activism as a response to environmental challenges?
    Aug 23 2024

    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.

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    50 mins
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