Transgressive/Toxic Play

Digital gaming is a vital source of fun, relaxation, learning and social connection for kids and adults alike. But people don’t always “play nice” and games can also become the sites of interpersonal conflict, trolling, and seriously harmful behaviours. In this episode, Dr. Sara Grimes (Director of the KMDI) chats with Dr. Kelly Boudreau, a professor at the Harrisburg University of Science and Technology, about her fascinating and timely research on problematic and toxic gameplay; the roles of these practices within gaming subcultures, and their sociological function as forms of boundary keeping. This discussion is focused on Dr. Boudreau’s contribution to the ground-breaking new edited collection Transgression in Games and Play (2019, The MIT Press): a nuanced, multi-disciplinary exploration of transgressive game content and boundary-crossing player practices.

Type of research discussed in today’s episode: game studies; sociology; (sub-)cultural studies.

Keywords for today’s episode: problematic play; toxic player behaviour; gamer (sub)culture; transgressive play; trolls/trolling; boundary keeping; identity.  

For more information, check out our website: http://kmdi.utoronto.ca/the-critical-technology-podcast/

Send questions or comments to: criticaltechpod.kmdi@utoronto.ca