Games, Play, and Selfhood: Immersive Media and Extended Realities

CMAC 660S

Interdisciplinary study of history, theory, criticism, practice of digital places, spaces, things, identities. Expanded idea of the metaverse: maps, apps, virtual reality, augmented reality, games. Deep geographies; sociocultural, aesthetic, & expressive effects. Hybrid realities, digital divides, authorship, authority, biases, constraints. Links to old & analog media, social media, archives, psychogeography, digital cities, utopias/dystopias, digital humanities debates. Theories of space, place, memory. Museums, cultural heritage, art, journalism, and popular media. Hands-on authoring. Weekly blogs, critical research paper, digital final projects. No specific technical experience required.

Interdisciplinary study of history, theory, criticism, practice of immersive and interactive media, with emphasis on virtual worlds, games, and extended reality. Cross-cultural interpretative frameworks, intersectional theories, comparative approaches across East/West and Global South. Critical examination of the metaverse and playable, interactive environments as analog, historic, and contemporary phenomena. Online selfhood, avatar identities, and digital cultures. Ludology versus narratology, hyperreality, agency, aesthetics. Theories of space, place, memory, gamification, participatory media. Applications in museums, cultural heritage, art, journalism, theater, and popular media. Hands-on testing and digital authoring. Blogs, critical research paper, final projects.
Curriculum Codes
  • STS
  • ALP
  • SS
Cross-Listed As
  • AMES 660S
  • GSF 660S
  • ISS 660S
  • VMS 660S
Typically Offered
Spring Only