The workshop will explore the social, cultural, and philosophical implications of boredom in relation to play and work, technology, media, and computer games with the goal of developing an international collaboration that establishes an innovative interdisciplinary research program to examine the undertheorized phenomenon of ludic boredom in depth.

Paradoxically, boredom seems to lie at the heart of thecurrent culture of constant connectivity and productivity enhanced by digital media. Each potential momentof boredom is at the same time a possibility for monetization – advertisements, casual games, social media,and other pushed notifications, all seem to be competing for our attention, which could otherwise be suspended in blissfully prolonged recreational “Langeweile”. Boredom becomes particularly interesting inrelation to play and digital games, which are supposed to serve as an antidote. The workshop is furthermore characterized by its international speakers, thanks to the in-house funding line of the University of Potsdam, KoUP.

Program
10:00 – 10:30 Opening address, organizational remarks, Sebastian Möring & Sonia Fizek

10:30 – 11:15 Fabian Goppelsröder (FU Berlin, Germany): “Waiting for the Moment that never comes…Ludic Boredom and the Aesthetics of Fatigue in the 24/7 Society”

11:15 – 12:30 Tom Apperley (Deakin University, Australia): “Random & Boring”

12:30 – 13:15 Sonia Fizek (Abertay University, Scotland): “Boredom and Background: Towards an ambient aesthetics of games”

13:15 – 14:45 Lunch break

14:45 – 15:30 Sybille Lammes (Leiden University, Netherlands): “Boredom in play: On ludic languor, nothingness and ennui”

15:30 – 16:15 Olli Tapio Leino (City University of Hong Kong, China): “On the material origins of ludic boredom as a totalizing attitude toward the game world. An existential-ludological analysis”

16:15 – 16:30 Coffee break

16:30 – 17:15 Tomasz Z. Majkowski (Jagiellonian University, Poland): “Boredom, power and discipline”

17:15 – 18:00 Sebastian Möring (University of Potsdam, Germany): “On the relation of boredom and care in computer game play from an existential ludological perspective“

18:00 Closing remarks

The workshop language is English.

Please register with Lydia Kray (DIGAREC, University of Potsam) if you wish to attend the workshop:

The order of the speakers may be subject to change. For the most updated program please refer to www.digarec.de.

In cooperation with: University of Potsdam, FH Potsdam, EMW (European Media Studies), DIGAREC and ZEM.