Databases
Finding sources related to Game of Thrones or medievalism or medieval history more broadly can be done using the UNBC Library Website.
For a more focused search, look at the International Medieval Bibliography, available here: https://wizard.unbc.ca/record=e1000689~S3
To use the International Medieval Bibliography, you need to be logged into the UNBC library.
Some tips:
- For book chapters, order the specific chapter through interlibrary loan INSTEAD of the whole book. The librarian will email you a copy of the specific book chapter.
- Use the “advanced search” to limit your search in terms of language, time period, geographic area etc. This can help to focus your search even more.
- Use this database to find academic sources related to Game of Thrones, medievalism, or medieval history topics.
Other Library Sources
The UNBC Library has purchased a number of books related to Game of Thrones as an academic subject. These are available in ebook and physical book format. I’ve noted below which one (EB = ebook PB = physical book).
Frankel, Valerie Estelle. Women in Game of Thrones: Power, Conformity, and Resistance. McFarland and Company, 2014. (PB)
Gjelsvik, Anne and Rikke Shubart. Women of ice and fire: Game of Thrones and Multiple Media Engagements. Bloomsbury, 2016. (PB)
Jacoby, Henry. Game of Thrones and Philosophy: Logic Cuts Deeper than Swords. Wiley, 2012. (EB and PB)
Larrington, Carolyne. Winter is Coming: the Medieval World of Game of Thrones. Tauris, 2016. (PB)
Mondschein, Ken. Game of Thrones and the medieval art of war. McFarland and Company, 2017. (EB and PB)
Mudan Finn, Kavita. Fan Phenomena: Game of Thrones. Intellect Books, 2017. (PB)
Pavlac, Brian. Game of Thrones versus History: Written in Blood. Wiley, 2017. (PB) NOTE: the quality of essays in this book is very uneven so perhaps check with me when choosing material).
Rohr, Zita Eva and Lisa Benz. Queenship and the Women of Westeros: Female Agency and Advice in Game of Thrones and A Song of Fire and Ice. Palgrave, 2020. (EB)
Web Sources
The websites listed below are largely not academic in nature, but they contain a wealth of information about Game of Thrones and the world it inhabits. I’ve also listed a number of digital media sources that frequently publish articles on Game of Thrones. The only exception to this point is The Public Medievalist which is peer-reviewed, academically-grounded, yet created for public consumption. Authors for this website are trained academics in medieval studies and medieval history.
Game of Thrones Wiki Questions about specific characters, episodes, places, scenes, costumes, props??? This website covers it all, using material from both the show and the book series.
https://gameofthrones.fandom.com/wiki/Game_of_Thrones_Wiki
HBO: Game of Thrones Viewer’s Guide This website from HBO provides overviews of the various houses and characters, each episode in the series, as well as maps over the physical world.
HBO: Making Game of Thrones Want to know more about how they make the show or explore the trajectory of specific characters? This website from HBO provides a wealth of info on how the series was developed as well as focuses in on certain characters over the 8 seasons.
https://www.makinggameofthrones.com/
Wired: Game of Thrones A collection of all the Wired stories related to Game of Thrones over the eight seasons.
https://www.wired.com/tag/game-of-thrones/
The Public Medievalist A website initially created by the authors of our textbook, Paul Sturtevant and Amy Kaufman, to explore medieval studies in the context of public writing. There is a wealth of excellent articles on this site, including ones specifically related to Game of Thrones. The search function will be your friend here!
https://www.publicmedievalist.com/
Medievalists.net is a website similar to The Public Medievalist. They have articles written specifically for them, excerpts from other publications, reports from medieval conferences and links to podcasts.
Other digital media sites that have articles on Game of Thrones and history include: Huffington Post, Medium, Washington Post, Vox, Vulture, the Guardian, Salon… I would suggest searching online via Game of Thrones and your specific topic.
Podcasts
Not surprisingly, there are MANY podcasts devoted to Game of Thrones. A lot of them are created by fans and designed to dissect specific episodes. I’ve posted a link to Vulture’s “10 Best Game of Thrones Podcasts”. It’s a good way to get you started. Podcasts are not required as sources but some of you may want to see how the broader public discusses this show.
I’ve also included some podcasts by medievalists that don’t have entire seasons focused on Game of Thrones but include specific episodes on the series.
Vulture “The 10 Best Game of Thrones Podcasts”
The Medieval Podcast The podcast section of Medievalists.net noted above.
https://www.medievalists.net/category/podcast/
In Our Time: Medieval Hosted by Melvyn Bragg (we’re listening to one episode from this podcast on eunuchs), In Our Time covers a huge range of historical subjects. The link below takes you to those specifically on medieval history.