MISREPRESENTATION OF MIDDLE EASTERN CULTURE IN GAMES AND CHALLENGES FACING ARABIC TRANSLATION OF GAMES
Abstract
This thesis is a broad study on the topic of misrepresentation of the Middle East in games and the challenges faced during the Arabic translation of games. This study is focused on the cultural assessment of the Middle East, expanding the differences and similarities between middles eastern culture and western culture.
The context of this study was based on modern time counteraction of cultural differences through recreational practices such as online and offline gaming. The primary variables that constitute a certain type of representation in games have been discussed in this thesis; the context of video game influence and impact on society, especially within western counties has also been considered for the assessment, analysis, and evaluation of contents and factors constituting this thesis. On that note, the impending increase of frustration between the Middle Eastern perspective and, Middle Eastern expectations has also been considered for this study. This was done due to the fact that nowadays even with the influx of social media and easy information dissemination, there is an obvious position of difference between westerners and Middle Eastern people in the latter’s culture and representation in western media.
Several reasons were considered to provide a rationale behind why this particular topic was researched, studied, and put into this thesis. The primary rationale is the current tension between western society and Middle Eastern people due to terrorist attacks that have been occurring throughout the world and which have been represented in the media as an election of the entire Middle Eastern section of Asia.
Another rationale for this thesis can be found in the introduction where the outcome of misrepresentation has been mentioned There are several outcomes that are brought about due to misrepresentation, the primary one being feelings of hate and disgust towards the Middle East that has been ongoing since this century’s onset.
The aims of this project have also been provided in this thesis and these have been formulated after learning about the need for such a thesis. This will provide an objective assessment of culture and opinion differences between two extreme ends of human psychology as witnessed in western society and Middle Eastern culture.
On the who, this project was created with the primary aim to inform about how different cultures are represented by western people and how this biased representation is dangerous for middle eastern as well as western societies.