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Full Product Details

Author:   Graeme Kirkpatrick
Publisher:   John Wiley and Sons Ltd
Imprint:   Polity Press
Dimensions:   Width: 14.70cm , Height: 1.80cm , Length: 21.10cm
Weight:   0.318kg
ISBN:  

9780745641119

ISBN 10:   0745641113
Pages:   248
Publication Date:   06 September 2013
Audience:   Professional and scholarly ,  College/higher education ,  Professional & Vocational ,  Undergraduate
Format:   Paperback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   Available To Order  
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Table of Contents

Contents Acknowledgements Introduction Chapter one: Computer games in social theory 1. Gaming and the social imaginary 2. The gamer as a ‘streamlined self’ 3. Social theory and critique Chapter two: Lineages of the computer game 1. The revival of play 2. Technology and the dialectic of invention 3. Artistic critique and the transformation of computing Chapter three: The formation of gaming culture 1. From games as technology to the discovery of ‘gameplay’ 2. The ‘authentic’ gamer 3. Gaming’s constitutive ambivalence Chapter four: Technology and power 1. Organising an industry 2. Globalisation and cultures of production 3. Technology, power and resistance Chapter five: The phenakisticon 1. MMPGs in recognition-theoretic perspective 2. The limitations of engineered sociability 3. Gamification and the diminution of gameplay Chapter six: Aesthetics and politics 1. The aesthetic dimension 2. Art, play and critique 3. Critical gaming? Notes References Index

Reviews

The classic studies of games argue that play mirrors social life. But what kind of story must theory tell when society begins to resemble a game? This is the argument of Graeme Kirkpatrick's brilliant new book, Computer Games and the Social Imaginary . Drawing on recent social theory and an original analysis of the social role of aesthetics, Kirkpatrick makes a major contribution to our understanding of both games and society. Andrew Feenberg, Simon Fraser University A rich and ambitious attempt to situate computer games relative to the transformation of capitalism over the last four decades. Kirkpatrick's thesis - which effortlessly combines sophisticated readings of the history of microcomputing and games with social and cultural theory - is nuanced, fresh and powerful. When I finished, I wanted to begin all over again. Melanie Swalwell, Flinders University

The classic studies of games argue that play mirrors social life. But what kind of story must theory tell when society begins to resemble a game? This is the argument of Graeme Kirkpatrick's brilliant new book, Computer Games and the Social Imaginary . Drawing on recent social theory and an original analysis of the social role of aesthetics, Kirkpatrick makes a major contribution to our understanding of both games and society. Andrew Feenberg, Simon Fraser University A rich and ambitious attempt to situate computer games relative to the transformation of capitalism over the last four decades. Kirkpatrick's thesis - which effortlessly combines sophisticated readings of the history of microcomputing and games with social and cultural theory - is nuanced, fresh and powerful. When I finished, I wanted to begin all over again. Melanie Swalwell, Flinders University Kirkpatrick's discussion of the social significance of computer games is very thought provoking, and provides a valuable inclusion to the field of media and game studies. Christian Dewar, University of South Australia

Author Information

Graeme Kirkpatrick is senior lecturer in sociology at the University of Manchester.

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