Gamer's Guide to International Relations

Michael A. Allen is a professor of political science in the School of Public Service at Boise State University. His books include Beyond the Wire: US Military Deployments and Host Country Public Opinion and Poli Sci Fi: An Introduction to Political Science through Science Fiction. His work focuses on conflict, asymmetry, and foreign policy with a particular interest in the positive and negative externalities of US troop deployments overseas. His research has been published in the American Political Science Review, International Studies Quarterly, Journal of Conflict Resolution, and Foreign Policy Analysis. The games he played the most while writing this book were Balatro, Helldivers 2, and Fallout 76.

Should you cooperate with allies, or confront your adversaries? From World of Warcraft and League of Legends to Minecraft and Fortnite, The Gamer’s Guide shows how some of the most popular games are great teachers of international relations and represent real-world political dynamics and strategy. It’s sure to be an exciting read for political scientists and gamers alike!

• PrefaceAcknowledgmentsChapter 1: IntroductionWhy Video Games?Shared Cultural ExperienceGenerate Alternative ScenariosReal-World Scenario AnalogsSpeculative ScenariosTest Interactive StrategiesIndirect EffectsWhich Video Games?Survival Games: MinecraftBattle Royales: FortniteMultiplayer Online Battle Arenas: LoLMassively Multiplayer Online Roleplaying Games: World of WarcraftExplore, Expand, Exploit, and Exterminate Games: CivilizationPlan of the BookChapter 2: Realism: The Enemy of My Enemy Is in the Way of My Chicken DinnerTheoriesRealismNeorealismA Realist World and a Realist GameConclusionChapter 3: Liberalism: From Solo Queue to Flex QueueLiberalismConclusionsChapter 4: Bargaining Models of War: Making an Offer Pericles Cannot RefuseBuilding the ModelWar as a Bargaining FailureInformation ProblemsCommitment ProblemsIndivisible GoodsConclusionChapter 5: Domestic Politics: Open Sourcing World PoliticsBreaking down the StateDictators and PrincipalsOrganizational Model of Foreign PolicyBureaucratic Model of Foreign PolicyConclusionsChapter 6: Constructivism: Minecraft is What Players Make of ItThe Social Construction of International PoliticsConstructivist Approaches to International RelationsConclusionsChapter 7: Identity: Representation and Roleplaying in IRGenderWomen’s Involvement in IRImpact of International Processes on WomenCivilizationRace and EthnicityIntersectionalityConclusionsChapter 8: Studying International RelationsObservationTheoryHypothesisResearch Design and AnalysisConclusionsChapter ConclusionsChapter 9: Specific Tool: Game TheoryAssumptionsGames and Game TheoryConclusionsChapter 10: Specific Tool: Quantitative ResearchWhat Matters in LoLDataResearch Design and AnalysisConclusions about LeagueData in IRConclusionsChapter 11: Civil Wars: Violence WithinThe CausesState ResponsesHow Civil Wars EndConclusionsChapter 12: International Political Economy: TradeThe Logic of Comparative AdvantageThe Positive Externalities of TradeConclusionsChapter 13: International Political Economy: Monetary PolicyCurrency SystemsInternational ProcessesConclusionsChapter 14: Human Rights: Respect in Physical and Digital SpacesHuman Rights in IREnforcing Human RightsGaming and Human RightsConclusionsChapter 15: Global Health and the EnvironmentThe EnvironmentGlobal HealthConclusionsChapter 16: ConclusionsGames as EntertainmentGames as Microcosms of International InteractionsGames as ChannelsAppendix I: Quick Guide to the Games in the BookAppendix II: Alternative GamesAbout the AuthorGlossary