Critical Game Literacy
While the construction of digital media and technology systems is frequently funded by the public it is not clear how it can be adapted to the needs of the public. The aim of the project is to support the digitalization of local organizations on Gotland both to allow them to make the most use of the expansion of digital infrastructure and to inform that expansion. These organizations can range from local business to public institutions like schools and education in general. The labs involvment here is using critical game design and critical media education to teach youth to use digital media in a framework of critical media literacy. The methods include organizational research, action research, transformative design, and critical media education.
Researchers
- Games & Society Lab
- Department of Information Systems and Media Studies, Uppsala University
Funding
Tillväxtverket and Region Gotland
Outcomes
Book Chapters
Prax, Patrick, et. al. (Forthcoming). “Teaching Sustainable Development: On Systemic Issues and Fake Excuses.” In The Climate Catastrophe: A Creative and Critical Survival Guide, edited by D. Binns and R. Najdowski. Intellect Books.
Prax, Patrick, and Paulina Rajkowska. 2021. ”Spelstudier.” In Digitala metoder i humaniora och samhällsvetenskap, edited by J. Jarlbrink and F. Norén. Studentlitteratur. Lund, Sweden.
Prax, Patrick. 2018. ”Deltagande i produktion av digitala spel som alternative medier.” In Dataspelens Världar: Digitala spel som kultur och kulturärv. edited by P. Du Rietz. Tekniska Museet. Stockholm, Sweden.
Prax, Patrick, and Paulina Rajkowska. 2018. “Problem Gaming from the Perspective of Treatment.” In What’s the Problem in Problem Gaming? - Nordic Research Perspectives, edited by Jessica Enevold, Anne Metter Thorhage, and Andreas Gregersen, 91-106. Nordicom. Göteborg, Sweden. View publication here
Journal Articles
Prax, Patrick, Lina Eklund, and Björn Sjöblom. 2019. “‘More Like an Arcade’ – The Limitations of Playable Games in Museum Exhibitions.” Museum and Society 17, no. 3: 437-452.
Prax, Patrick, Niklas Nylund, Lina Eklund, Björn Sjöblom, and Olle Sköld. 2019. “Drawing Things Together: Understanding the Challenges and Opportunities of a Cross-LAM Approach to Digital Game Preservation and Exhibition.” The Nordic Journal of Cultural Policy 22, no. 2: 332-354. Download publication here
Prax, Patrick. 2018. “Between Global Competition, Marketing, Deviant Play, and Cheating – High-End Raiding in World of Warcraft.” Communication Sociali 1.
Prax, Patrick. 2017. “Co-Creativity in Online Games as Alternative Media.” Néothèque: 257-287. (In French).
Conference Proceedings
Prax, Patrick. (Forthcoming). “Networked Player Participation Makes All the Difference – A Comparison of Warhammer 40k Analog and on Tabletop Simulator.” In Proceedings of the 2022 DiGRA International Conference: ‘Bringing Worlds Together,’ Krakow, Poland.
Prax, Patrick. 2020. “Boal on a Boat – Teaching Critical Game Making.” In Proceedings of the 2020 DiGRA International Conference: Play Everywhere. View publication here
Prax, Patrick. 2019. “Is This Still Participation? A Case Study of the Disempowerment of Player Labourers.” In Proceedings of the 2019 DiGRA International Conference: Game, Play and the Emerging Ludo Mix. Kyoto, Japan. View publication here
Keynote Presentations
Prax, Patrick. 2019. “Nordic Interfaces – Gambling and Gaming from Research to Practice.” Keynote at the Preconference to The 12th SNSUS Conference, eSports, Loot Boxes, and (Ir)Responsible Gaming/Gambling. Workshop. Video linked here
Conference Presentations
Prax, Patrick. (Forthcoming). “Gamechangers of 40k - The Professionalization and Commodification of Warhammer 40k.” In The 2022 DiGRA International Conference: “Bringing Worlds Together.” Krakow, Poland.
Prax, Patrick. 2021. “From Talking about Loot Boxes to Discussing Political Economy – Conceptualizing Critical Game Literacy.” Nordmedia 2021. Reykjavik, Iceland.
Prax, Patrick. 2021. “Networked Player Participation makes all the Difference – A Comparison of Warhammer 40k Analog and on Tabletop Simulator.” Ropecon 2021. Tampere, Finland.
Prax, Patrick. 2019. “Two Sides of the Same Game: Esports between Participatory Culture and Entrepreneurship.” Abstract presentation at 2019 DiGRA International Conference: Game, Play and the Emerging Ludo Mix. Kyoto, Japan.
Prax, Patrick. 2018. “Gaming vs. Gambling: Can They be Treated Together?” Presentation at DiGRA 2018. Turin, Italy.
Prax, Patrick. 2018. “Let´s kill it while the devs are sleeping!” – The Struggle for Defining the Game of High-End Raiding in “World of Warcraft”. Panel presentation at DiGRA 2018. Turin, Italy.
Prax, Patrick. 2018. “More like an Arcade” – The limitations of playable games in museum exhibitions. Pre-conference presentation at DiGRA 2018. Turin, Italy. View publication here
Prax, Patrick. 2018. “Where the Logics of Political Economy and Exhibition Meet: Towards an Explanation for the Lack of Subversive and Participatory Practices in Game Exhibitions.” Panel Participation at Nordic DiGRA 2018. Bergen, Norway. View slides here
Prax, Patrick. 2017. “Dimensions of Participatory Game Design in Online Games.” NordMedia: Mediated Realities - Global Challenges. Tampere, Finland.
Prax, Patrick. 2017. “Political Participation as a Lens for Understanding Co-creation and Exploitation Practices.” The ACM SIGCHI Annual Symposium on Computer-Human Interaction in Play (CHI PLAY). Amsterdam, Netherlands.
Prax, Patrick, and N. Carpentier. 2017. “The Multiples Struggles of Participatory Game Design.” IAMCR 2017: Transforming Culture, Politics & Communication: New Media, New Territories, New Discourses. Cartagena, Columbia.
Invited Talks and Collaborations with Civic Society
Prax, Patrick. 2018. ”Klickfiske i spelvärlden – hur ser ansvarsfull speldesign ut?” Invited talk at Almedalsveckans. Organized by Svenska Spel. View event here
Prax, Patrick. 2018. ”Gaming disorder - Sjuk av dataspel.” Invited talk at Almedalsveckans. Organized by Stödlinjen; 2018. View event here
Prax, Patrick. 2018. “Expert in Swedish National TV on User Data Collection in Facebook and Social Media.” TV4 News Morning, March 4.
Prax, Patrick. 2019. ”Går det att prata sig till bättre psykisk hälsa?” Invited talk at Almedalsveckans. Organized by Suntprat. View event here
Prax, Patrick. 2019. “What is Problem Gaming and What Can We Do About It?” Invited talk at Nordsken. Video linked here
Prax, Patrick. 2018. ”What is the Problem with Gaming?" Invited talk at Gotland Municipality.
Service and General Education
Prax, Patrick. 2018. “Problem Gaming and Treatment.” Family Therapy Centre of Gotland.
Games & Society Lab
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