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The particular politics of the home : Domestication and parental practices of digital games in everyday life

Johansson, Magnus LU (2018) MKVM13 20181
Media and Communication Studies
Abstract
The masters thesis The particular politics of the home - domestication and parental practices of digital games in everyday life aims at providing a closer look at how games played on phones, consoles or computers are regulated within the everyday of family life. Through semi-structured interviews with nine parents, the author creates understanding for how digital games are not only tied to the moral project of the home, but have their values negotiated in relation to public discourses around games, focused on the perceived harmful aspects. The study is theoretically informed by a conceptual framework built on the works of Roger Silverstone, Eric Hirsch and David Morley (the moral economy), Michel de Certeau (everyday tactics), Deborah... (More)
The masters thesis The particular politics of the home - domestication and parental practices of digital games in everyday life aims at providing a closer look at how games played on phones, consoles or computers are regulated within the everyday of family life. Through semi-structured interviews with nine parents, the author creates understanding for how digital games are not only tied to the moral project of the home, but have their values negotiated in relation to public discourses around games, focused on the perceived harmful aspects. The study is theoretically informed by a conceptual framework built on the works of Roger Silverstone, Eric Hirsch and David Morley (the moral economy), Michel de Certeau (everyday tactics), Deborah Chambers (media imaginary) and Anthony Giddens (ontological security). Positioned in the cross-roads of moral panics and domestication theory, the thesis deals with both the domestication process of digital games as media technology, as well as the social construction of digital games and their perceived harms. What is found, are that the meanings of digital games are evaluated as active or non-active in relation to the building of the moral project of the home, visible through varying forms of negotiations and tactics of regulations. The families in this study use tactics in the everyday to construct moral continuities, which are ’defended’ from the perceived harms of digital games. Digital games are also identified as inhabiting properties of distancing, potentially creating divisions between individuals in the home, which also calls for parental regulation. The thesis does see a way forward, as the inclusion of these ’wild’ technologies and content into the moral project do not need to hinge on public discourses of harm. In an acceptance of digital games containing these discourses, they need not be evaluated solely on these terms. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Johansson, Magnus LU
supervisor
organization
course
MKVM13 20181
year
type
H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
subject
keywords
Domestication theory, digital games, problem gaming, everyday studies, morals
language
English
id
8939536
date added to LUP
2018-05-31 13:13:34
date last changed
2018-05-31 13:13:34
@misc{8939536,
  abstract     = {{The masters thesis The particular politics of the home - domestication and parental practices of digital games in everyday life aims at providing a closer look at how games played on phones, consoles or computers are regulated within the everyday of family life. Through semi-structured interviews with nine parents, the author creates understanding for how digital games are not only tied to the moral project of the home, but have their values negotiated in relation to public discourses around games, focused on the perceived harmful aspects. The study is theoretically informed by a conceptual framework built on the works of Roger Silverstone, Eric Hirsch and David Morley (the moral economy), Michel de Certeau (everyday tactics), Deborah Chambers (media imaginary) and Anthony Giddens (ontological security). Positioned in the cross-roads of moral panics and domestication theory, the thesis deals with both the domestication process of digital games as media technology, as well as the social construction of digital games and their perceived harms. What is found, are that the meanings of digital games are evaluated as active or non-active in relation to the building of the moral project of the home, visible through varying forms of negotiations and tactics of regulations. The families in this study use tactics in the everyday to construct moral continuities, which are ’defended’ from the perceived harms of digital games. Digital games are also identified as inhabiting properties of distancing, potentially creating divisions between individuals in the home, which also calls for parental regulation. The thesis does see a way forward, as the inclusion of these ’wild’ technologies and content into the moral project do not need to hinge on public discourses of harm. In an acceptance of digital games containing these discourses, they need not be evaluated solely on these terms.}},
  author       = {{Johansson, Magnus}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{The particular politics of the home : Domestication and parental practices of digital games in everyday life}},
  year         = {{2018}},
}