Politics by other means : postdigital gameplay in Hong Kong

Document Type

Journal article

Source Publication

Javnost

Publication Date

1-1-2017

Volume

24

Issue

3

First Page

284

Last Page

299

Publisher

Taylor and Francis Ltd.

Keywords

Biopolitics, Creativity, Digital games, Digital labour, Dissent, Hong Kong

Abstract

This article considers play in relation to the governance of creativity as well as emerging modes of dissent in Hong Kong. Drawing from post-digital game studies and radical contextualism, the article considers play in three everyday settings, each of which articulates different relations between the material affordances of software, embodied capabilities and the rationalities of institutional macropolitics. In doing so, I aim to explore play as dissent in a context where play is instrumentalised for the biopolitics of the “creative” economy, yet where it is neither connected to “free” expression and performance nor guaranteed of liberal protections. I argue that creativity in Hong Kong is not constitutive—be it of economic assets or a “free” society—but constituted. That is to say, creativity is normalised, trained, excluded, repressed and potentially criminalised. This requires rethinking prevailing universalisms regarding politics as play and creative public performance.

DOI

10.1080/13183222.2017.1306189

Print ISSN

13183222

E-ISSN

18548377

Funding Information

This research was funded by Lingnan University [grant DA14B2]. {DA14B2}

Publisher Statement

Copyright © 2017 EURICOM. Access to external full text or publisher's version may require subscription.

Full-text Version

Publisher’s Version

Language

English

Recommended Citation

Hoyng, R. (2017). Politics by other means: Postdigital gameplay in Hong Kong. Javnost, 24(3), 284-299. doi: 10.1080/13183222.2017.1306189

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