Date of Award
8-2023
Document Type
Masters Thesis
Degree Name
M.A.
Organizational Unit
College of Arts Humanities and Social Sciences, Lamont School of Music
First Advisor
Jack Sheinbaum
Second Advisor
Mitchell Ohriner
Third Advisor
Sean Friar
Fourth Advisor
Christopher Coleman
Keywords
Sid Meier, Civilization VI, Video game, Music, Historical narrative, Historical music
Abstract
Sid Meier’s Civilization VI is a 2016 strategy video game in which the player leads a historical civilization from 4000 BC to the present. The Civilization series is the subject of much scholarly writing, especially its representation of history and non- Western cultures. My work builds on Karen Cook’s research (2014) on the technological progress and American hegemonic identity signaled by Civilization IV’s soundtrack. I argue that the music in Civilization VI contributes to a Eurocentric teleological progress narrative of history inherent in the structure of the game: the idea that history is a story of inevitable and positive technological and cultural advancement. I examine the four-stage progression of each civilization’s theme music, including a case study on Egypt’s theme, as well as the representation of historical music and musicians in the game mechanics. This work is key to understanding what messages players glean from the game and enabling nuanced uses in education.
Copyright Date
8-2023
Copyright Statement / License for Reuse
All Rights Reserved.
Publication Statement
Copyright is held by the author. User is responsible for all copyright compliance.
Rights Holder
Alec Larner
Provenance
Received from ProQuest
File Format
application/pdf
Language
English (eng)
Extent
66 pgs
File Size
1.5 MB
Recommended Citation
Larner, Alec, "Historical Narrative in the Music of Sid Meier’s Civilization VI" (2023). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 2293.
https://digitalcommons.du.edu/etd/2293
Discipline
Music history