Date of Award
2018
Document Type
Thesis
Publication Status
Version of Record
Submission Date
October 2026
Thesis/Dissertation Advisor [Chair]
MacDonald, Ian
Abstract
Popular fantasy is often populated by members of different species, such as dwarves, elves, and orcs. Much of the narrative structure of the genre comes from the interactions and conflicts between these species, with many of them serving as stand ins for real world culture. This has become the underlying fabric of fantasy fiction and has deep resonance in our contemporary pop culture. However, many of these depictions are founded on colonialist constructions of race and otherness, turning the genre into a medium for reproducing racist ideologies, often unconsciously. This thesis examines the origins and trajectory of this trend by looking at one of the most well- known examples of contemporary fantasy: Blizzard Entertainment’s World of Warcraft.
Extent
52 p.
Recommended Citation
Lang, Austin R., "The Dark Heart of Azeroth: The Deep Rooted Colonialist Ideologies of Popular Fantasy" (2018). Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2010 - 2019. 2037.
https://digitalcommons.fau.edu/etd_general_6/2037
Identifier
FA00013174
Comments
Includes bibliography.|Thesis (M.A.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2018.|FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection|Includes bibliography.