Sign-In
Cart
The Privilege of Play: A History of Hobby Games, Race, and Geek Culture
Hardcover
Series: Postmillennial Pop
Games & Activities GeneralGeneral Gender StudiesGeneral Racism & Ethnic Studies
ISBN13: 9781479818396
Publisher: New York Univ Pr
Published: Apr 18 2023
Pages: 256
Weight: 1.09
Height: 0.69 Width: 6.00 Depth: 9.00
Language: English
The story of white masculinity in geek culture through a history of hobby gaming
Geek culture has never been more mainstream than it is now, with the ever-increasing popularity of events like Comic Con, transmedia franchising of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, market dominance of video and computer games, and the resurgence of board games such as Settlers of Catan and role-playing games like Dungeons & Dragons. Yet even while the comic book and hobby shops where the above are consumed today are seeing an influx of BIPOC gamers, they remain overwhelmingly white, male, and heterosexual.The Privilege of Play contends that in order to understand geek identity's exclusionary tendencies, we need to know the history of the overwhelmingly white communities of tabletop gaming hobbyists that preceded it. It begins by looking at how the privileged networks of model railroad hobbyists in the early twentieth century laid a cultural foundation for the scenes that would grow up around war games, role-playing games, and board games in the decades ahead. These early networks of hobbyists were able to thrive because of how their leisure interests and professional ambitions overlapped. Yet despite the personal and professional strides made by individuals in these networks, the networks themselves remained cloistered and homogeneous--the secret playgrounds of white men. Aaron Trammell catalogs how gaming clubs composed of lonely white men living in segregated suburbia in the sixties, seventies and eighties developed strong networks through hobbyist publications and eventually broke into the mainstream. He shows us how early hobbyists considered themselves outsiders, and how the denial of white male privilege they established continues to define the socio-technical space of geek culture today. By considering the historical role of hobbyists in the development of computer technology, game design, and popular media, The Privilege of Play charts a path toward understanding the deeply rooted structural obstacles that have stymied a more inclusive community. The Privilege of Play concludes by considering how digital technology has created the conditions for a new and more diverse generation of geeks to take center stage.
Also in
Games & Activities General
Dungeons & Dragons Player's Handbook (Core Rulebook, D&d Roleplaying Game)
Dungeons & Dragons
Hardcover
How Do You Feel?: A Spectacular Compendium of Ideas, Interactive Games, Provocations, Tests, and Tricks That Explore the World of What You Feel and Wh
Hughes, Edgar Gerrard
Paperback
Amazing Magic Tricks for Beginners: Impress Your Friends with Simple to Learn Magic That Anyone Can Do
Miles, Bryan
Paperback
The Official Sherlock Puzzle Book: Are You as Smart as Sherlock Holmes? (Sherlock Holmes Puzzle, Detective Gifts, Mystery Gifts)
Maslanka, Chris
Tribe, Steve
Paperback
Mom, I Want to Hear Your Story (Expanded Edition): A Mother's Guided Journal to Share Her Life & Her Love
Mason, Jeffrey
Paperback
Dad, I Want to Hear Your Story (Expanded Edition): A Father's Guided Journal to Share His Life & His Love
Mason, Jeffrey
Paperback
Brain Games - Color by Number: Stress-Free Coloring (Green)
Brain Games
New Seasons
Publications International Ltd
Paperback
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild the Complete Official Guide: -Expanded Edition
Piggyback
Hardcover
Brain Games - To Go - Stress Free: Word Search Puzzles
Publications International Ltd
Brain Games
Paperback
The Book of Unusual Knowledge: Big Book of Fascinating Facts & Information Hardcover Gift for Trivia Buffs, Curious Minds, Adults, Dad & Knowledge See
Publications International Ltd
Hardcover
A Perpetual Journal Practice: Building a Connection with Nature Through Art
Gastinger, Lara Call
Paperback
The Legend of Zelda(tm) Tears of the Kingdom - The Complete Official Guide: Collector's Edition
Piggyback
Hardcover
The New York Times Mini Crosswords, Volume 1: 150 Easy Fun-Sized Puzzles
Fagliano, Joel
New York Times
Paperback
Family Camping Games: A Pocket Book of Activities, Games and Puzzles to Play Around the Campfire
Henseleit, Jack
Paperback
The New York Times Greatest Hits of Monday Crossword Puzzles: 100 Easy Puzzles
New York Times
Paperback
Metroid Prime 1-3: A Visual Retrospective: The Official Art and Making of Metroid Prime 1-3
Piggyback
Hardcover
Minecraft: Guide Collection 4-Book Boxed Set (Updated): Survival (Updated), Creative (Updated), Redstone (Updated), Combat
The Official Minecraft Team
Mojang Ab
Hardcover
The New York Times Mini Crosswords, Volume 3: 150 Easy Fun-Sized Puzzles
Fagliano, Joel
New York Times
Paperback
The New York Times Easy Crosswords for the Plane, Train, Car or Bar: 200 Removable Puzzles
New York Times
Paperback
Brain Games - Sticker by Number: Country Garden (13 Images to Sticker)
New Seasons
Brain Games
Publications International Ltd
Paperback
Mom, I Want to Hear Your Story: A Mother's Guided Journal to Share Her Life & Her Love
Mason, Jeffrey
Hardcover
The Legend of Zelda(tm) Tears of the Kingdom - The Complete Official Guide: Standard Edition
Piggyback
Paperback
Dad's Story Journal (Linen Hardcover): A Memory and Keepsake Journal for My Family
Herold, Korie
Hardcover
Brain Games - Sticker by Number: Amazing Animals (13 Images to Sticker)
Brain Games
Publications International Ltd
New Seasons
Paperback
Brain Games - Sticker by Number: Puppies (14 Images to Sticker)
New Seasons
Publications International Ltd
Brain Games
Paperback
A Beginner's Guide to American Mah Jongg: Large Print Edition: How to Play the Game & Win (Large Print Edition)
Sandberg, Elaine
Egri, Jan
Paperback
The New York Times Greatest Hits of Tuesday Crossword Puzzles: 100 Easy Puzzles
New York Times
Paperback
Dungeon Master's Workbook of Worldbuilding (Dungeons & Dragons): An Official Companion to the Dungeon Master's Guide
Wheeler, Andrew
Official Dungeons & Dragons Licensed
Hardcover
New York Times Games Strictly Medium Crossword Puzzles Volume 2: 200 Medium Puzzles
New York Times
Paperback
Brain Games - Sticker by Number: Dogs (28 Images to Sticker)
Brain Games
New Seasons
Publications International Ltd
Paperback
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim - The Skyrim Library, Volume II: Man, Mer and Beast
Bethesda Softworks
Hardcover
The National Parks Bucket List: The Ultimate Adventure Journal for All 63 Parks
Mohammad, Linda
Paperback
The Dungeon Master's Campaign Journal (Dungeons & Dragons)
Official Dungeons & Dragons Licensed
Hardcover
The Game Master's Handbook of Collaborative Campaign Design: A Game-Changing Approach to Homebrewing Emergent Ttrpg Stories, Character Arcs and Worlds
Fishel, Jonah
Fishel, Tristan
Paperback
Spelling High School Grades 9-10: Vocabulary and Writing Practice with Interactive Activities
Attard, Natasha
Paperback
The New York Times Greatest Hits of Saturday Crossword Puzzles: 100 Hard Puzzles
New York Times
Paperback
Minecraft: Exploded Builds: Medieval Fortress: An Official Mojang Book
The Official Minecraft Team
Mojang Ab
Paperback
The Book For Men Who Have Everything: Unusual Knowledge and Boredom Busters for Intelligent Men
Iq Street
Paperback
Totally Awesome Book of Useless Information: A Delightfully Absurd Collection of Unusual Knowledge for Adults and Teens
Style, Life Daily
Paperback
Hoyle's Rules of Games, 3rd Revised and Updated Edition: The Essential Guide to Poker and Other Card Games
Morehead, Philip D.
Morehead, Albert H.
Mott-Smith, Geoffrey
Paperback
The New York Times Easy Crossword Puzzles to Go the Distance: 200 Removable Puzzles
New York Times
Paperback
The Official Agatha Christie Puzzle Book: Put Your Detective Skills to the Ultimate Test
Agatha Christie Ltd, Agatha Christie
Paperback
Dad, I Want to Hear Your Story: A Father's Guided Journal to Share His Life & His Love
Mason, Jeffrey
Hardcover
Brain Games - Sticker by Number: Animals - 2 Books in 1 (42 Images to Sticker)
New Seasons
Brain Games
Publications International Ltd
Paperback
Brain Games - Sticker by Number: Birds (28 Images to Sticker)
New Seasons
Publications International Ltd
Brain Games
Paperback
Brain Games - Color by Number: Stress-Free Coloring (Pink)
Brain Games
New Seasons
Publications International Ltd
Paperback
The Game Master's Book of Random Encounters: 500+ Customizable Maps, Tables and Story Hooks to Create 5th Edition Adventures on Demand
Ashworth, Jeff
Hardcover
Patty Lyons' Knitting Bag of Tricks: The Official Workbook: Hands-On Exercises to Improve Your Knitting Skills
Lyons, Patty
Hardcover
Brain Games - Sticker by Number: Under the Sea (28 Images to Sticker)
Brain Games
Publications International Ltd
New Seasons
Paperback
The Ultimate RPG Game Master's Guide: Advice and Tools to Help You Run Your Best Game Ever!
D'Amato, James
Paperback
Baldur's Gate 3: The Necromancy of Thay: A Grid-Paper Notebook for Journaling, Sketching, Adventuring, and More
Official Dungeons & Dragons Licensed
Hardcover
The Book of Concealment (Dungeons & Dragons): A Game Screen and Journal in One
Official Dungeons & Dragons Licensed
Hardcover
The New York Times Greatest Hits of Thursday Crossword Puzzles: 100 Medium Puzzles
New York Times
Paperback
Eat the Borderlands: One Loader Bot's Culinary Tour Through Pandora and Beyond!
Melendez, Jarrett
Alsaqa, Jordan
Hardcover
The Game Master's Book of More Random Encounters: A Collection of Reality-Shifting Taverns, Temples, Tombs, Labs, Lairs, Extraplanar and Even Extrapla
Ashworth, Jeff
Baker, Tim
Hardcover
The Game Master's Handbook of Proactive Roleplaying: Guidelines and Strategies for Running Pc-Driven Narratives in 5e Adventures
Fishel, Jonah
Fishel, Tristan
Paperback
Brain Games - Sticker by Number: Under the Sea - 2 Books in 1 (42 Images to Sticker)
New Seasons
Brain Games
Publications International Ltd
Paperback
The Ultimate Final Fantasy XIV Cookbook: The Essential Culinarian Guide to Hydaelyn
Rosenthal, Victoria
Hardcover
The Game Master's Book of Instant Towns and Cities: 160+ Unique Villages, Towns, Settlements and Cities, Ready-On-Demand, Plus Random Generators for N
Baker, Tim
Ashworth, Jeff
Hardcover