Role of video games as history explored in public seminar

The first lecture in the series, 'The Great Game of History: The Videogame as a Historical Form', will be held at the University's Broadcasting Place, from 4-5pm, and will be presented by Dr Adam Chapman, a Leeds Met history graduate who has recently completed his PhD at the University of Hull.

Over the past 20 years, video games have become so popular that they now regularly outsell Hollywood films. This has given them an increasing cultural significance as they are becoming more and more appreciated for their interesting stories and fictional worlds alongside gameplay.

This has allowed games such as Sid Meier's Civilization, Assassin's Creed and Brothers in Arms to feature meaningful historical representations. The enthusiasm of gamers towards these historical games has made them some of the most successful, and potentially influential, popular histories of recent years. Through this, historical videogames have become an interesting topic of study for historians.

'The Great Game of History' seminar aims to explore questions about historical videogames and to highlight the new opportunities they provide for audiences to interact with history. Adam will also explore the importance and future possibilities of this new and exciting form of history.

Dr Simon Morgan, Principal Lecturer at Leeds Met and co-organiser of the seminar series, commented: "The Leeds Cultural History Seminar series is aimed at researchers, students and any interested members of the general public. The seminars feature papers from both established and early career researchers as well as postgraduate students. Topics range across cultural history, with the current programme including topics from murderesses in the 18th century to an exploration of the video game as an historical form.

"There have been some exciting developments in 2014, as not only is the series appearing for the first time under the umbrella of the new Centre for Culture and the Arts, but we are also working in conjunction with the Royal Historical Society to provide a platform for postgraduate students funded by the Society."

Future seminars include: Aidan Enright from Leeds Metropolitan University discussing his research into Catholic identity in mid-Victorian Britain on Wednesday 19 March; and Anna Jenkin from the University of Sheffield discussing her work on murderesses in print in 18th century London and Paris.

To register your interest in any of the seminars, please contact Dr Simon Morgan at S.J.Morgan@leedsmet.ac.uk