The Matter at Hand: A Practice-Theoretical Model of Digital Gaming

Authors

  • Milan Jaćević The Royal Danish Academy, Institute for Visual Design

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18778/2391-8551.06.01

Keywords:

digital gaming, practice theory, Pierre Bourdieu, ludic literacy, game studies, gameplay performance, gaming skills

Abstract

Investigations into the nature of the activity of gaming have been made difficult by virtue of the plurality of possible forms this activity may take. In this paper, I address this problem by examining (digital) gaming under the heading of practice theory, in an attempt to shed more light on the practical aspects of ludic literacy. Building on the theoretical and conceptual frameworks of Pierre Bourdieu, I present a general model of digital gaming as a form of situated human practice, followed by details of a case study, conducted in order to test and adjust the initial version of the model. Though further research with a greater population of players is needed in order to expand the scope of the model, the findings of the study lend credence to its validity as a conceptual framework for delineating and framing different practices generated by digital game artefacts.

Author Biography

Milan Jaćević, The Royal Danish Academy, Institute for Visual Design

Milan Jaćević – MSc, MA, is a PhD student at the Institute for Visual Design, The Royal Danish Academy. As part of his PhD project, he is creating digital game prototypes and conducting experimental studies to examine digital gaming from the standpoint of practice theory, centering said examination on Pierre Bourdieu’s concept of the habitus.

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Published

2019-12-30

How to Cite

Jaćević, M. (2019). The Matter at Hand: A Practice-Theoretical Model of Digital Gaming. Replay. The Polish Journal of Game Studies, 6(1), 7–26. https://doi.org/10.18778/2391-8551.06.01

Issue

Vol. 6 No. 1 (2019)

Section

Articles

License

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

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