Worlds Beyond Worlds Ep. 3: Gaming, Coloniality, and Critiquing Our Darlings

In this episode of Worlds Beyond Worlds, host Patrick J. D'Silva talks with former DU students James, Andrew, and Zane about his Spring 2025 course on race, religion, and science fiction, with a special emphasis on gaming. James, now an adjunct at Regis University, describes adapting the course’s discussion-and-reflection structure for his own class on sacred encounters. Andrew and Zane, both Joint Doctoral Program PhD students, reflect on key course readings such as Charles Mills’ “The Wretched of Middle Earth” and David Higgins’ Reverse Colonization, and highlight Indigenous futurism as transformative. They discuss final projects: James’ creative Elder Scrolls narrative critiquing imperial religious bans, Zane’s Warhammer 40K paper on Anglo-Protestant anti-Catholic tropes and fascist appropriation, and Andrew’s BioShock Infinite analysis linking baptism, redemption, and colonial violence.

Follow Zane on Substack: https://theosophia.substack.com/

00:00 Episode Setup

01:41 James Intro and Teaching

04:15 Sacred Encounters Course

07:28 Andrew Intro and Fandom

09:39 Zane Intro and Ministry

14:04 Course Structure Reflections

14:47 Zane on Reverse Colonization

18:29 Andrew on Tolkien and Race

23:21 James on Indigenous Futurism

34:06 Final Project Transition

34:35 Elder Scrolls Creative Project

41:26 Masters Final Triumph

41:55 Orc Mage Backstory

44:13 Creative Outlet Blend

45:10 Zane Warhammer Focus

48:14 Catholic Gothic Continuity

50:43 Alt Right Aesthetics

57:39 Andrew Bioshock Thesis

01:01:19 Redemption And Decolonization

01:07:56 Publishing And Conferences

01:11:50 Course Takeaways

01:20:44 Fiction As Cultural Product

01:26:04 Season Wrap And Farewell

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Worlds Beyond Worlds: Gaming, Coloniality, and Critiquing Our Darlings