Exploring Minecraft: Ethnographies of Play and Creativity

During our three-year ethnographic fieldwork into mobile games in Australian homes, one particular form of gameplay was uniquely prevalent. It was intergenerational. It was creative. It was playful. It moved ambiently in and out of everyday life. Parents, children and grandparents played. We are speaking of one of the most ubiquitous and yet under-analysed games, Minecraft.

Drawing on these ethnographic insights, this book seeks to take Minecraft seriously as a cultural practice. At the intersection of digital media, quotidian literacy and ethnography the book situates interdisciplinary debates around mundane play through the lens of Minecraft.

Collectively, we bring together a range of expertise around ethnography, games studies, digital media literacy, pedagogy, and creative practice research to analyze Minecraft as an interdisciplinary phenomenon.

Product details

  • Publisher: Palgrave