In this seminar we’ll explore the concept of critical play in relation to video games. This is particularly relevant since the gamer community often demands a non-political and uncritical attitude towards reality. However, games – like any cultural achievement – are always ideologically charged, whether intended or not. As concepts of design, analysis, and aesthetics, we’ll explore Flanagan's Critical Play (2009) and Flanagan and Nissenbaum's Values at Play (2016). In an historical outline from the avant-gardes to contemporary digital games, Flanagan analyzes the subversive potential of the medium and thus reveals the political, social and aesthetic critique inscribed in design. Flanagans/Nissenbaum's theoretical concepts provide the appropriate foundation to understand playable critique in a media-specific way. This is followed by examples that are divided according to Flanagans/Nissenbaum's categories of critique: Political, social, and aesthetic. It’ll become clear that these categories are not strictly separated, but rather are mutually dependent on each other – in the medium of games and beyond. Critical engagement can take place in a playful manner and should be transferred by the students to other (technological) media.
TRIGGER WARNING: Please note that the games and texts discussed could potentially contain images of excessive and/or sexualized violence.
Anmelderegeln
Diese Veranstaltung gehört zum Anmeldeset "ELW/ALW/NELK Aufbaumodul BA/LA: Cultural Studies".
Folgende Regeln gelten für die Anmeldung:
Die Anmeldung ist möglich von 02.10.2020, 10:00 bis 26.10.2020, 10:00.
Diese Regel gilt von 02.10.2020 10:00 bis 26.10.2020 10:00. Die Anmeldung zu maximal 1 Veranstaltungen des Anmeldesets ist erlaubt.
Es wird eine festgelegte Anzahl von Plätzen in den Veranstaltungen verteilt.
Die Plätze in den betreffenden Veranstaltungen wurden am 28.10.2020 um 10:00 verteilt. Weitere Plätze werden evtl. über Wartelisten zur Verfügung gestellt.
