General description

This study module examines the foundational theories of either games and play or internet, the philosophy of definitions and defining, and the impact of different theoretical conceptualizations on the research, knowledge, and understanding of games or internet.

Learning outcomes

After completing the study module, student is able to:
- explain the history of central terms
- recognize and use theories and concepts originating in multiple research traditions
- self-reflexively explain how they employ key concepts, and why they have chosen such conceptualization
- understand the impact of definitions as tools ? and their limitations
- follow and assess the argumentation in research publications

Contents

Game Studies: The histroy of conceptualizing play and game; the biological foundations of play; the play of humans and other animals; functions of play and games; the significance of defining on scientific knowledge; special issues relating to digital play and games; neighbouring terms of play and games.

Internet Studies: The concept of information in different traditions: the relationship of media studies and studies of new media; the ontological and epistemic questions of different academic traditions; the defining of key terms and object of study in internet studies; construction of theory on a multidisciplinary field.

Teaching methods

Teaching method	Contact	Online
Lectures
Group work
Independent work

Teaching language

English

Evaluation

Numeric 1-5.

Study materials

Literature:

Games:
- Suits (1978): The Grasshopper: Games, Life and Utopia
- Tavinor (2009): The Art of Videogames
- A selection of articles

Internet:
- Fuchs (2008): Internet and Society - Social Theory in the Information Age
- Kitchin & Dodge (2014): Code/Space: Software and Everyday Life
- A selection of articles

Belongs to following study modules