Essay at 2500 Word (Learning outcomes 1, 2 & 3)

This module introduces you to the theoretical origins of game studies as well as to sociological theories.

The module will explore how sociological theorists set out to explain the transformation and broad contours of modern gaming society, especially its defining characteristics and its most pressing challenges. Whilst the sociology of games will form the theoretical core of this module, you will also be introduced to theoretical approaches and methodologies that draw from the broader field of social science (e.g. ethnography; social learning theory; philosophy of communication and dialogue) and humanities (e.g. ludology and narratology).

2 hour Workshop

The library and e-brary
Blackboard
Lecture and seminar rooms with Powerpoint presentation and DVD playback facilities
Seminar rooms suitable for group work
PCs with student access to email, internet and word-processing

Caillois, Roger (1962) Man, play and games, London: Thames & Hudson.
Dillon, Michele (2010) Introduction to sociological theory. Theorists, concepts and their applicability to the twenty-first century, Chichester: Wiley-Blackwell.
Goffman, Erving (1961) Encounters: Two studies in the sociology of interaction, London: Allen Lane.
Huizinga, Johan (2000) Homo ludens: A study of play-element in culture, London: Routledge
Kirkpatrick, Graeme (2013) Computer games and the social imaginary, Cambridge: Polity.

1. DEMONSTRATE KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF HISTORICAL GAME CULTURES
[Knowledge and Understanding]

2. EVALUATE SOCIAL ISSUES IN THE GAMING WORLD AND GAMING INDUSTRY.
[Analysis; Reflection; Enquiry; Problem Solving]

3. WRITE COHERENTLY AND FOLLOWING NORMAL ACADEMIC CONVENTIONS ABOUT IDEAS, THEORIES AND PARTICULAR CASES.
[Communication]