| The dissertation sets out a new game theoretic model for the role of reputation in international law and relations, in the context of multilateral treaties, to replace the Prisoner's Dilemma. This new model is based on the typology of game playing styles in online virtual worlds (VWs) which was first developed by Richard Bartle in 1990, in connection with text-based VWs and subsequently updated by him in 2003 to reflect the development of graphically-based VWs.;The dissertation utilizes case studies of the United States, the People's Republic of China and the Russian Federation, and concludes that the VW game theoretic model provides a better tool for understanding the role of reputation in international law and relations than does the Prisoner's Dilemma.;In the new game theoretic model, the player is equivalent to a sovereign state, the player's avatar is equivalent to the reputation of that state as a treaty member, and the virtual world is equivalent to the multilateral treaty regime of which the state is a member. The game owner is equivalent in the model to the International Organization which oversees, administers, sets standards and/or resolves disputes for the members of the applicable multilateral treaty. |
