Jihad Baayoun
Ph.D. Candidate
| Degrees: | B.A. (Wilfrid Laurier University), M.A. (Wilfrid Laurier University) |
| LinkedIn: | Connect |
Current Program:
Ph.D. Public History (2024)
Supervisors:
Dr. Marc Saurette and Dr. Shawn Graham
Academic Interests:
Historical Game Studies
Medieval and Medievalism Studies
12th – 13th Century Mongol History
Asian Studies
Select Publications and Current Projects:
Currently I am an intern with the Digital Lab for Islamic Visual Art and Culture attached to the University of Edinburgh where I contribute with the conceptualization of interactive educational experiences. Currently, the Digital Lab is developing a 3D interactive game with the goal of virtually preserving and sharing the material culture of 8th to 10th Century Cordoba in Al-Andalus.
When given the time, I contribute to my blog, PastvsPixels, where I explore and present to readers how game developers utilize, manipulate, and are inspired by history in the creation of their world. I explore games such as Assassin’s Creed, God of War, Ghost of Tsushima, and the Warhammer franchise with the goal of demonstrating the nuances of history in gaming!
Description of Research:
My research focuses on the reception of reception within historical and historically adjacent video games (i.e. alternative histories and medievalism within science fiction and fantasy) to understand how these reactions reveal public perceptions of the past. It explores important questions, including What is the relationship between ‘representation’ and ‘historical
consciousness’ of players, fostered through historical video games? When do players draw the line between acceptable and unacceptable historical authenticity, and why? My research concerns representations of race, ethnicities, cultures, gender, and sexuality virtual presentations of the past.