Playing Bully: An Ethnographic Study of Game Play
Parents, teachers, and policy makers worldwide are currently concerned with the increasing importance of teenagers' use of video games. The scope of the debate around game play is wide: some groups fear the effects of games on the users, whereas others are looking for ways to harness digital games as learning tools.
Using Bully (Rockstar Games, 2006) as a case-study we are investigating the variety of meanings that video games have for young gamers, particularly in relation to their social lives at home and with friends. Instead of concentrating on the possible consequences, or 'effects', of media consumption, we would like to focus on the everyday contexts of play. We hope that this study will contribute to a better understanding of the social dimensions of video games, that is, the contextual aspects of gaming.
This research is grounded on the assumption that gaming is, first and foremost, a social activity. We will be investigating the complex interaction between gamers, games, and society tout court using a combination of different approaches (ethnography, sociology, cultural studies and game studies).
We are currently looking for participants for this study. Let us know if you are interested.
We are currently looking for participants for this study.
É galera, enquanto isso, aqui no Brasil, a gente fica parado, rodando manivelas....
É importante ver que nesse mundo ultra-virtualizado, a gente precisa acompanhar o movimento dos saberes e entender esta mentalidade que se funda. Não sou pró-EUA, apenas acho que essa é uma idéia interessante pra começar a se ter em discussões dentro do âmbito universitário...
Principalmente na área de humanas, que precisam se associar com as áreas biológicas e etc, para aprender mais sobre, como diria o livro de Lèvi P. "O que é virtual?"
Da mesma forma, acho vital que os textos de conteúdo especifico das universidades deveriam já estar todos online. Pra que fica travando a vida da gente?? Tudo que queremos é saber um pouco mais e, com isso, poder ver o mundo na dimensão real dele!
