Utrecht, Netherlands

Multidisciplinary Game Research: Between Theory and Practice

This summer course provides a multidisciplinary perspective on games and play in contemporary culture, combining perspectives from various disciplines within the humanities, social sciences and computer sciences. It addresses the challenges but also the transformative potential of both ‘applied’ and entertainment games, and provides participants with a holistic perspective including analysis, design and validation. By combining aspects of theory and practice, the course enables participants to better understand and meaningfully implement the potential of games and play within current socio-cultural contexts.

PLEASE NOTE: In light of the ongoing Covid-19 restrictions, which might continue well into 2021 depending on the widespread availability of a vaccine, the summer course is currently planned as an online-only event. We are currently revising the day2day program to accommodate this; due to the lower administrative costs, this means that the admission fee will be significantly lower as well.

The program comprises workshops by senior researchers from the Center for Game Research (Utrecht University/UU), the Departments for 'Media and Culture Studies' and 'Information and Computing Sciences' (UU), the Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development (UU), the Utrecht Institute of Linguistics (UU) and affiliated institutions.

Each day is dedicated to a different thematic angle, including the academic (co-)creation of games and play experience, games for learning, game aesthetics, scenario-planning games and socially transformative play as well as games about/as ecosystems. Apart from the core workshops, we are currently developing smaller online formats, also in collaboration with thematically related summer schools, to provide a more 'social' experience to mitigate the limitations of an online-only course in that regard.

Course leader

Dr. Stefan Werning

Target group

The course is aimed at students (from ambitious BA and MA/MSc students to PhD candidates) as well as members of private and public sector institutions (companies, NGOs etc.) that are either a) already utilizing games and other playful applications, or b) aim to better understand how and when to work with them in academic or professional contexts. It offers participants an innovative platform, combining theoretical and practical approaches to develop a multidisciplinary understanding of games as technology (both digital and analogue), a form of cultural expression, and a social phenomenon.

Fee info

EUR 100: Course + course materials