Title
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
