Computer Games and the Social Imaginary

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

• ContentsAcknowledgementsIntroductionChapter one: Computer games in social theory1. Gaming and the social imaginary2. The gamer as a ‘streamlined self’3. Social theory and critiqueChapter two: Lineages of the computer game1. The revival of play2. Technology and the dialectic of invention3. Artistic critique and the transformation of computingChapter three: The formation of gaming culture1. From games as technology to the discovery of ‘gameplay’2. The ‘authentic’ gamer3. Gaming’s constitutive ambivalenceChapter four: Technology and power1. Organising an industry2. Globalisation and cultures of production3. Technology, power and resistanceChapter five: The phenakisticon1. MMPGs in recognition-theoretic perspective2. The limitations of engineered sociability3. Gamification and the diminution of gameplayChapter six: Aesthetics and politics1. The aesthetic dimension2. Art, play and critique3. Critical gaming?NotesReferencesIndex

"It is well researched, well argued, and one of the finest books to date on the subject of digital games."New Media and Society "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