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Semester 2

The Anthropology of Games and Play (SCAN10079)

Subject

Social Anthropology

College

CAHSS

Credits

20

Normal Year Taken

3

Delivery Session Year

2023/2024

Pre-requisites

Visiting students must have completed at least 3 Social Anthropology courses at grade B or above. We will only consider University/College level courses.

Course Summary

This course will study theoretical and ethnographic works on games and play to ask the following questions: Is play a human universal? What special kinds of communication does it afford? Why are games compelling, and how do they vary cross-culturally? How are new technologies changing the landscapes of human play and gaming? And how do games and play relate to classical anthropological domains such as ritual, co-operation, and the social construction of worlds?

Course Description

The course will draw theoretical materials from a range of social scientific and philosophical sources, and will combine these with mainly ethnographic studies of games and play. We will progress from defining games and play, to investigating anthropological approaches to the imagination and processes of rule-making, to thematic treatments of contemporary issues in the study of games: rule-making, virtuality, fantasy, entertainment, co-operation, and conflict. Seminar classes will include small participatory games, where appropriate. *Preliminary course outline*: WEEKS 1-3: definitions, classical theories, and modern game design. Key readings: Caillois, R. (2001) Man, Play, and Games; Huizinga, J. (1938) Homo Ludens; Bateson, G. (1955) Theory of Play and Fantasy; Koster, R. (2004) A Theory of Fun for Game Design; Tekinbas & Zimmerman (2005) Game Design Reader; Malaby, T. (2007) Beyond Play; Graeber, D. (2015) Utopia of Rules. WEEK 4: Play and Ritual. Indicative Readings: Turner, V. (1982) From Ritual to Theatre; Malinowski, B. (1922), Argonauts of the Western Pacific; Trobriand Cricket (Film) WEEK 5: Imaginary Worlds? Indicative readings: Overing, J. (1990) The Shaman as Maker of Worlds; Berger & Luckmann (1966) The Social Construction of Reality; Laycock, J. (2015) Dangerous Games. WEEK 6: Rules and Roles. Indicative readings: Goffmann, E. (1974) Frame Analysis; Moore, H. (2012) Avatars and Robots; Graeber, D. (2015) Utopia of Rules. WEEK 7: Digital worlds. Indicative readings: Malaby, T. (2009) Making Virtual Worlds; Boellstorff, T. (2008) Coming of Age in Second Life; Kendall, L. (2002) Hanging Out in the Virtual Pub. WEEK 8: Simulating War. Indicative Readings: de Landa, M. (1991) War in the Age of Intelligent Machines; Lakoff & Collier Infrastructure and Event; Baudrillard, J. (1988) Simulacra & Simulations. Debord, G. Game of War. WEEK 9: Games, Culture, GlobalizationIndicative Readings: Rollason, W. (2011) We are Playing Football; Walker, H. State of Play. WEEK 10: Review.

Assessment Information

Written Exam 0%, Coursework 100%, Practical Exam 0%

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