Egil Trasti Rogstad skal holde prøveforelesning og disputas for graden Ph.d. i sosiologi ved Fakultet for samfunnsvitenskap, Nord universitet. Han har en bachelorgrad i journalistikk fra 2015 og en mastergrad i samfunnsvitenskap med fordypning i journalistikk fra 2017, begge fra Nord universitet. I løpet av utdanning har han også jobbet flere år som frilans sportsjournalist.
I doktorgradsarbeidet fokuserer Rogstad på kvinnelige spillere, kjønnsperspektiver og likestilling i e-sport – konkuransebasert dataspilling. Han er opptatt av sosial ulikhet, mangfold og kjønnsperspektiver i idrett og mediepresentasjoner av idrett.
Tittel på avhandlingen
Virtual(ly) Women Athletes: A Study of Gendered Power Relations and Inequality in Sports-Themed Esports
Tittel på prøveforelesningen:
”Equitable esports in the professional organisation of sports-themed videogame competition”
Program
Tid for prøveforelesning: 10:15 – 11:15
Tid for disputas: 12:15 – 15:30
Språk: Prøveforelesning og disputas vil foregå på engelsk
Sted: Bodø, A2 Stein Rokkan. Disputasen er åpen for publikum.
Disputasleder: Dekan Elisabet Ljunggren
Bedømmelseskommisjon
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- Førsteamanuensis Emma Witkowski, RMIT University in Melbourne (førsteopponent)
- Førsteamanuensis Jordan Matthews, University of Chichester (andreopponent)
- Førsteamanuensis Torill Mortensen, Nord universitet
Veiledere:
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- Hovedveileder: Professor Lisbeth Morlandstø, Nord universitet
- Medveileder: Førsteamanuensis Anne Tjønndal, Nord universitet
Velkomme!
Abstract
This thesis focuses on gendered power relations and inequality in sports-themed esports (esports based on sports simulation games). Due to the continuing merging of sports-themed esports and traditional sports, the esports industry’s deeply rooted issues concerning a significant underrepresentation of women, sexist stereotypes and harassment constitute a major challenge. The aim of the thesis is to contribute to a deeper understanding of the complex issues and challenges that women players face within sports-themed esports. The following main research question is posed: How do gendered power relations influence gender inequality in sports-themed esports?
This research question is addressed by means of four separate studies, each with their own research questions and methodological approaches. Article I is based on a traditional narrative review that presents the current research on gender and esports. In Article II, a document analysis is used to examine the gendered challenges and opportunities relating to the IOC’s strategy to include esports in the Olympic Games. Article III is based on a Foucauldian discourse analysis and examines how the media constructed Chiquita Evans when she became the first woman player in the NBA 2K League. Article IV draws on an online survey of sports video game players to examine their perceptions of gendered character representations in these games.
Although esports is regarded as a non-physical form of sport in which men have no physical competitive advantage over women, the findings in the thesis further demonstrate how sports-themed esports participation involves additional challenges for women players. As a result, the traditional dynamics of male domination in sports seem inescapable, even in the virtual space of sports-themed esports.
