Racism in Tamriel

The world of Tamriel where the Elder Scrolls video game series takes place is home to many very distinct and different races. There is a lot of animosity between many of the races, as hearing semi-racist comments is not uncommon in the game. When people in the game address someone they don't, many times they just call them by whatever race they are, reducing their individual identity to that of racial stereotypes and generalizations. Additionally the races that seem to receive the brunt of this racism are the races that look most physically different, such as the Argonians, Khajit, and Dunmer. On the other hand, the races that are most in control of the world are the light-skinned, fair High Elves and Imperials. In Tamriel, casual racism is so commonly used that no one seems to notice or mind it. Additionally, because there are so many different races, most of the races tend to stick with people of their own race and are often distrustful of other races.

A Khajiit, a feline race in Tamriel

For example, in the latest Elder Scrolls game Skyrim, there is a group of travelling Khajit merchants who go from city to city selling their wares. These foreign salesmen are distrusted by many of the townspeople and are forced to set up camp and sell their wares outside the city gates. This group of travelling Khajit could easily be seen to fit into the modern stereotype of a gypsy.

A Dark Elf, also known as Dunmer

Another example of how racism in the game can mirror the real world is that of the Dunmer ghetto in Windhelm. Windhelm is a city ruled by the Nord race, who resemble Scandinavian races. The areas of town that the Nords live in are quite nice, but in a separate area of town there is a ghetto where Dark Elf refugees live in squalor. This could reflect any real world situation in which refugees have fled to another country and placed in sub-par living situations.