Games for Change

Videogames are no longer just outlets for fun and entertainment. In this seminar, we’ll explore how videogames increasingly function as means for creative expression, instruments for conceptual thinking, and tools for cultural and social change. We’ll investigate how videogames are being used by artists, designers, scholars, and students to facilitate activism, think differently, and examine social issues such as race, class, gender, sexuality, and mental health. As we consider these “games for change,” we’ll analyze the significance of play as a cultural and philosophical phenomenon, the importance of tools and technologies in giving shape to play, and the role of aesthetic design in creating new pathways for interaction, change, and collaborative and interdisciplinary learning. The course will be open and accessible to all kinds of players, from the experienced or casual player to those without any gaming experience. The only prerequisite is an appetite for critical play, and a healthy desire to learn how experimental games can level up your studies and research in exciting new directions.