Representation and Stereotyping in Board Games. A Study of How Gender, Race, Sexuality, Ability and Age Are Portrayed in Strategic Board Games

Abstract: The purpose of this investigation is to see if contemporary strategic board games maintain a stereotypical representation of different societal groups. The main objectives are to see to what extent different social groups are represented and how they are being represented. Special attention will be directed at stereotypes. Gender theory combined with intersectionality theory is used to analyze the stereotypes and the gender roles, whereas the cultivation theory is used to analyze the representation of social groups and its importance. This study uses a qualitative method combined with a quantitative method. Primarily, this study is a critical discourse analysis-study. It is a small-scale content analysis performed on four board games. The main categories in focus of the analysis are gender, race, sexuality, age and ability. The combined analysis shows a high overrepresentation of able-bodied, white cis-males of a working age. In the four games analyzed all other societal groups are underrepresented. Some of the games show a just representation of some societal groups, but none is 100 % equal concerning all categories. Male characters are shown to be portrayed as working professionals to a higher extent than female characters, and genders roles are often portrayed in a stereotypical way.