The University of Maine DigitalCommons@UMaine Honors College 5-2014 Video Games as Free Speech Benjamin Cirrinone University of Maine - Main Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/honors Part of the Political Theory Commons Recommended Citation Cirrinone, Benjamin, "Video Games as Free Speech" (2014). Honors College. 162. https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/honors/162 This Honors Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by DigitalCommons@UMaine. It has been accepted for inclusion in Honors College by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@UMaine. For more information, please contact
[email protected]. VIDEO GAMES AS FREE SPEECH by Benjamin S. Cirrinone A Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for a Degree with Honors (Political Science) The Honors College University of Maine May 2014 Advisory Committee: James E.Gallagher, Associate Professor of Sociology Emeritus & Honors Faculty Mark D. Brewer, Associate Professor of Political Science Richard J. Powell, Associate Professor, Department of Political Science/Leadership Studies Sol Goldman, Adjunct Assistant Professor of Political Science Mark Haggerty, Rezendes Professor for Civic Engagement, Honors College Copyright © 2014 Benjamin Cirrinone All rights reserved. This work shall not be reproduced in any form, except for the inclusion of brief quotations in review, without permission in written form from the author. Abstract The prevalence of video game violence remains a concern for members of the mass media as well as political actors, especially in light of recent shootings. However, many individuals who criticize the industry for influencing real-world violence have not played games extensively nor are they aware of the gaming community as a whole.