Fundação Getulio Vargas’ Department of Public Policy Analysis (FGV DAPP) is launching a series of webinars called Games, Communication and Politics to discuss the relationship between electronic games and politics from the perspectives of political strategy regarding gamers, sexism in games and related social issues. The event will take place every Thursday between January 28 and February 11, always at 6 pm.

The focus of the series of debates is on understanding games and forms of interaction associated with them as part of contemporary cultural, political and social circumstances. In this context, FGV DAPP researchers and guests will discuss games as both methods and environments for expressing ideas, including multiplayer games and streaming practices, for example.

Although little recognized until recently, the relationship between politics and games has become increasingly evident. The American and Brazilian elections of 2020 highlighted digital games as a space for communication and the need for rapprochement and dialogue with the gamer community. This subject will be discussed by Thiago Falcão, Intercom’s GP games coordinator; Henrique Antero of Nautilus; João Varella, the founder of publisher Lote 42; and FGV DAPP director Marco Ruediger.

Debate about political agendas in the scope of games is not restricted to the traditional political world. There are also recurring issues on gender relations and the sexist dynamics of the industry and gamer community, contributing to the “toxic” gamer culture. This subject will be debated by Gabriela Kurtz, a professor at the School of Communication, Arts and Design at Rio Grande do Sul Catholic University; FGV DAPP researcher Luiza Santos; and other participants.

As immersive narratives, games have huge potential for people to experience different situations. As a cultural product, games guide public debate based on products that use narratives and game mechanics to mobilize around a theme. These social contexts will be discussed by designer, professor and game researcher Beatriz Blanco; FGV DAPP researcher Lucas Roberto da Silva; and other specialists.

For more information about the program of events and to sign up, click here.