Carla Sousa, a researcher at CICANT, published the article "Exploring Empathy and Intersectionality in Gaming: a Case Study of Sweetxheart (Small, 2019)" in the Journal of Science and Technology of The Arts.
The study was presented in the special issue on "Arts and Games, Convergent Feminism and Speculative Futures" and aimed to examine how the video game Sweetxheart promotes understanding of intersectional identities and empathy.
The research concluded that players gain empathy by adopting the perspective of the game character and experiencing their life, as well as fostering connections. However, the game's effectiveness in raising awareness depends on the participants' understanding of intersectionality and the challenges faced by people in positions of privilege. As such, this game highlights the potential role of games in promoting social justice and inclusion.
To see the full article, click here.