[Air-L] Fwd: [GAMESNETWORK] Call for papers DiGRA 2015 (14-17 May Lüneburg, Germany)

[Mia Consalvo]

please circulate widely!
thanks,
Mia
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Jonas Linderoth <jonas.linderoth at ped.gu.se>
Date: Mon, Sep 29, 2014 at 9:33 AM
Subject: [GAMESNETWORK] Call for papers DiGRA 2015 (14-17 May Lüneburg,
Germany)
To: GAMESNETWORK at uta.fi


 Call for papers DiGRA 2015

Diversity of play: Games - Cultures – Identities
14-17 May 2015, Lüneburg, Germany
www.digra2015.org

Video game culture has had a self-image of being a distinct cultural form
united by participants identifying themselves as ‘gamers’ for many years.
Variations in this identity have been perceived either in relation to
preferred platform or level of commitment and skill (newbie, casual, core,
pro, etc.). Today the popularity of games has increased dramatically, games
have become more specialized and gaming is taking place in a number of
divergent practices, from e-sport to gamification. In addition, the gamer
position includes a number of roles and identities such as:
players, learners, time-fillers, users, fans, roleplayers, theory crafters,
speed runners, etc. Furthermore, techniques like gamification and
game-based learning, as well as the playful use of computer simulation for
training purposes, is making it difficult to distinguish games from
non-games.

Additionally, video game culture is merging with other forms of popular
culture and new mobile technologies are making distinctions between digital
and non-digital gaming blurred. Yet, whilst the forms of play seem to have
become more diverse, the content of games is often only challenged by
independent titles. This is the case despite a maturing audience, some
of whom now seem to urge for more diverse themes and representations within
games. In the light of increasing criticism of the representations and
practices that have dominated much of games culture, it seems that the
relationship between the identity of the ‘gamer’ and the content of games
is undergoing a change.

Traditionally, game studies has tried to find common ground, seeking shared
definitions and epistemologies. DiGRA 2015 seeks to encourage questions
about the ‘Diversity of play’, with a focus on the multiple different
forms, practices and identities labeled as games and/or game culture. The
conference aims to address the challenge of studying and documenting
games, gaming and gamers, in a time when these categories are becoming so
general and/or contested, that they might risk losing all meaning. Given
this, what concepts do we need to develop in order for our research to be
cumulative and how do we give justice to the diverse forms of play found in
different games and game cultures?

As in the previous year, DiGRA 2015 will accept submissions in five
categories: full papers, abstracts, panel, workshops, and events. All
submissions will be peer-reviewed using double blind reviewing.
In addition, all submissions will receive a meta review and authors of
rejected full papers will have the possibility to send a rebuttal if they
perceive they have been given biased or uninformed reviewers. The
conference welcomes submissions on a wide range of topics, including, but
not limited to, the following:

Game cultures
Games and intersections with other cultural forms
Online gaming and communication in game worlds
Gender and gaming
Games as representation
Minority groups and gaming
Childhood and gaming
The gaming industry and independent games
Game journalism
Gaming in non-leisure settings
Applications of game studies in other domains
Gamification
System perspectives and mathematical game theory
Hybrid games and non-digital games
Game design characteristics
Technological systems
Simulations

Deadlines
Submission deadlines 22 January (hard deadline)
Acceptance/rejection notification 16 March
Rebuttal deadline 19 March
Camera ready deadline 14 April

Location & Date
14-17 May 2015
Lüneburg, Germany
At Campus of Leuphana University of Lüneburg
Scharnhorststr. 1
D-21335 Lüneburg

For more information and the latest updates regarding the DiGRA 2015
conference, see www.digra2015.org

 Program Chairs
 Staffan Björk
 Jonas Linderoth



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-- 
Mia Consalvo, Ph.D.
Professor and Canada Research Chair in Game Studies & Design
Director, the mLab
Co-editor of Sports Videogames, 2013, Routledge

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