Being Dragonborn

<p> <I>The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim</I> is one of the bestselling and most influential video games of the past decade. From the return of world-threatening dragons to an ongoing civil war the province of Skyrim is rich with adventure lore magic history and stunning vistas. Beyond its visual spectacle alone Skyrim is an exemplary gameworld that reproduces out-of-game realities controversies and histories for its players. <I>Being Dragonborn</I> then comes to signify a host of ethical and ideological choices for the player both inside and outside the gameworld. These essays show how playing <I>Skyrim</I> in many ways is akin to playing 21st century America with its various crises conflicts divisions and inequalities. Topics covered include racial inequality and white supremacy gender construction and misogyny the politics of modding rhetorics of gameplay and narrative features.</p>