Breaking New Ground: Innovation in Games, Play, Practice and Theory
(edit) This time it is only across the pond so to speak so no excuse! (edit)
Brunel University, West London, United Kingdom, Tuesday 1st September — Friday 4th September 2009
The South of Britain Consortium are pleased to announce the first Call for Papers for the Digital Games Research Association 2009.
DiGRA is an organisation that embraces all aspects of game studies, and the conference aims to provide a diverse platform for discussion, and a lively forum for debate. We therefore welcome papers from any discipline focused on any aspect of games, play, game culture and the games industry.
The conference will be the fourth DiGRA conference, following Utrecht, Vancouver and Tokyo, and welcomes contributions from scholars working in any area of interest to the association.
The Conference invites the following proposals for consideration:
Individual or Collaborative Papers
Panels
Workshops
Posters
Graduate Student Roundtable Papers
Initial selection will be through the peer review of abstracts of 500-700 words in all categories. Panel and Workshop proposals should include abstracts for the contributions of all participants.
Individual or collaborative papers – addressing topics relevant to the wide remit of DiGRA (including therefore industry, education, political, social, theoretical concerns appropriate to the association). Presentations should be limited to 15-20 mins.
Panel proposals – 3 – 4 papers which address a common theme, a common research method, a shared conceptual issue etc.
Workshops – proposals are invited for 2 – 3 hour workshops that address a range of themes relevant to the aims of the association. Workshops that are particularly targeted at a wide audience are most welcome.
Poster sessions – presentations of work in progress in the format are most welcome and will be showcased throughout the event.
The conference committee are also interested in including featured symposia/colloquia to address particular ‘late-breaking’ research projects or issue-based topics (an example might be a colloquia based around Wii research or a symposium based around Women in Games). Please contact a member of the conference organising committee with any expressions of interest.
Graduate student participation
In order to support graduate students and early career researchers the conference will focus on graduate student issues on its opening day, 1st September 2009. We therefore ask for volunteers for mentoring sessions from established academics. For those graduate students whose research is at an early stage, and who wish to work with mentors, we invite work in progress proposals for presentations at mentor roundtables. Such roundtable participation, however, should in no way be seen as preventing graduate students putting in abstracts for other forms of participation.
Strands
Please also indicate your preference for consideration in one of the following broad strands:
Games Culture
Games and Commerce
Games Aesthetics
Games Technology
Games Education
Games Design
Games and Public Policy
Games and Theory
Key Dates
Deadline for all abstracts and workshop/panel/symposia proposals: Friday 17 April 5pm GMT
Deadline for full papers for inclusion in digital proceedings: Friday 26 June 2009 5pm GMT
Notification of abstract acceptance: June 1 2009
Conference Dates: 1-4th September 2009
Abstracts should be of 500-700 words and include an additional indicative bibliography. Full paper submissions may be of up to 6,000 words. Full details of the submissions procedure, including the method of electronic submission, will be published here and on other forums as soon as possible.
All contributions must be original, unpublished work. The conference language is English, and papers, abstracts and other proposals should be written in English.
Delegates are also advised that individuals will be limited to one paper presentation and one other form of presentation to allow space and time for the largest number of participants.
About the Conference Location
Brunel University is located conveniently near Heathrow Airport and is on the London Tube system. A range of affordable accommodation is available on campus, including 1500 en suite rooms all on one campus, 400 standard bedrooms, 8 holiday flats (5-7 persons per flat), 51 specially adapted rooms for people with disabilities, plus hotel standard rooms in the Lancaster Suite.
There are also a range of restaurants, cinemas and shopping in Uxbridge town.
The Conference Organisers
The conference is being hosted by a consortium consisting of Brunel University, University of the West of England, and the University of Wales, Newport.
Tanya Krzywinska, Professor of Screen Media, Brunel University. Tanya.Krzywinska@brunel.ac.uk
Helen Kennedy, Chair of the Play Research Group, University of the West of England. helen.kennedy@uwe.ac.uk
Barry Atkins, University of Wales Reader in Computer Games Design, University of Wales, Newport. barry.atkins@newport.ac.uk