2024
Friman, Usva; Ruotsalainen, Maria; Ståhl, Matilda
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Esports Book Chapter
In: Jenny, Seth E.; Besombes, Nicolas; Brock, Tom; Cote, Amanda C.; Scholz, Tobias M. (Ed.): Routledge Handbook of Esports, pp. 540-550, Routledge, 2024, ISBN: 9781003410591.
Abstract | Links | Tags: DEI, Discrimination, Diversity, Equity, Esports, Inclusion, Toxic meritocracy
@inbook{Friman2024,
title = {Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Esports},
author = {Usva Friman and Maria Ruotsalainen and Matilda Ståhl},
editor = {Seth E. Jenny and Nicolas Besombes and Tom Brock and Amanda C. Cote and Tobias M. Scholz},
url = {https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003410591-58
https://researchportal.tuni.fi/en/publications/diversity-equity-and-inclusion-in-esports},
doi = {10.4324/9781003410591-58},
isbn = {9781003410591},
year = {2024},
date = {2024-09-24},
urldate = {2024-09-24},
booktitle = {Routledge Handbook of Esports},
pages = {540-550},
publisher = {Routledge},
abstract = {This chapter presents an overview of what diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) mean and how they matter in esports. The chapter describes how esports culture upholds harmful structures and practices, including misogyny, racism, hate against gender and sexual minorities, as well as various forms of identity-based discrimination and harassment, and how this limits participation of marginalized individuals. Further, the chapter explains how these issues are connected to esports' cultural background in hegemonic gaming and sport cultures and the prevalent culture of toxic meritocracy (i.e., a false belief that everyone has an equal chance to succeed despite their background). Finally, the chapter outlines existing good practices and initiatives in promoting DEI in esports, and offers further recommendations in this area. Key highlights include: 1) Participants who do not fit the expected image of an esports player (e.g., women, people of color, LGBTQ+ people) face many barriers for participation and are often excluded from and face systematic discrimination and harassment in esports, and 2) As a new kind of digital sport, esports has an opportunity to create a culture based on DEI, and there are many good practices and initiatives promoting this goal shared in this chapter.},
keywords = {DEI, Discrimination, Diversity, Equity, Esports, Inclusion, Toxic meritocracy},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {inbook}
}
This chapter presents an overview of what diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) mean and how they matter in esports. The chapter describes how esports culture upholds harmful structures and practices, including misogyny, racism, hate against gender and sexual minorities, as well as various forms of identity-based discrimination and harassment, and how this limits participation of marginalized individuals. Further, the chapter explains how these issues are connected to esports' cultural background in hegemonic gaming and sport cultures and the prevalent culture of toxic meritocracy (i.e., a false belief that everyone has an equal chance to succeed despite their background). Finally, the chapter outlines existing good practices and initiatives in promoting DEI in esports, and offers further recommendations in this area. Key highlights include: 1) Participants who do not fit the expected image of an esports player (e.g., women, people of color, LGBTQ+ people) face many barriers for participation and are often excluded from and face systematic discrimination and harassment in esports, and 2) As a new kind of digital sport, esports has an opportunity to create a culture based on DEI, and there are many good practices and initiatives promoting this goal shared in this chapter.
Rusk, Fredrik; Ståhl, Matilda
In: Tavares, Vander; Skrefsrud, Thor-André (Ed.): Critical and Creative Engagements with Diversity in Nordic Education, pp. 213-230, Lexington books, 2024, ISBN: 978-1-66692-586-9.
Abstract | Links | Tags: Diversity, Educational gaming, Esports, Inclusion
@incollection{Rusk2024b,
title = {Esports: The New “White Boys” Club? Problematizing the Norms Limiting Diversity and Inclusion in an Educational Gaming Context},
author = {Fredrik Rusk and Matilda Ståhl },
editor = {Vander Tavares and Thor-André Skrefsrud},
url = {https://research.abo.fi/en/publications/esports-the-new-white-boys-club-problematizing-the-norms-limiting
https://research.abo.fi/ws/portalfiles/portal/59321256/Critical_and_Creative_Engagements_with_Diversity_in_Nordic_Education.pdf},
isbn = {978-1-66692-586-9},
year = {2024},
date = {2024-01-01},
urldate = {2024-01-01},
booktitle = {Critical and Creative Engagements with Diversity in Nordic Education},
pages = {213-230},
publisher = {Lexington books},
abstract = {This chapter focuses on discussing issues of diversity with regards to gaming, specifically esports, in and outside of schools.},
keywords = {Diversity, Educational gaming, Esports, Inclusion},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {incollection}
}
This chapter focuses on discussing issues of diversity with regards to gaming, specifically esports, in and outside of schools.
2019
de Wildt, Lars; Apperley, Thomas H.; Clemens, Justin; Fordyce, Robbie; Mukherjee, Souvik
(Re-)Orienting the Video Game Avatar Journal Article
In: Games and Culture, vol. 15, iss. 8, pp. 962–981, 2019, ISSN: 1555-4120.
Abstract | Links | Tags: Avatars, Cultural appropriation, Diversity, Game culture, Postcolonialism
@article{deWildt2019,
title = {(Re-)Orienting the Video Game Avatar},
author = {Lars de Wildt and Thomas H. Apperley and Justin Clemens and Robbie Fordyce and Souvik Mukherjee},
doi = {10.1177/1555412019858890},
issn = {1555-4120},
year = {2019},
date = {2019-06-17},
urldate = {2019-06-17},
journal = {Games and Culture},
volume = {15},
issue = {8},
pages = {962–981},
abstract = {This article explores the cultural appropriation of the term avatar by Western tech culture and what this implies for scholarship of digital games, virtual worlds, social media, and digital cultures. The term has roots in the religious tradition of the Indian subcontinent and was subsequently imported into video game terminology during a period of widespread appropriation of Eastern culture by Californian tech industries. We argue that the use of the term was not a case of happenstance but a signaling of the potential for computing to offer a mystical or enchanted perspective within an otherwise secular world. This suggests that the concept is useful in game cultures precisely because it plays with the “otherness” of the term's original meaning. We argue that this indicates a fundamental hybridity to gaming cultures that highlight the need to add postcolonial perspectives to how issues of diversity and power in gaming cultures are understood.},
keywords = {Avatars, Cultural appropriation, Diversity, Game culture, Postcolonialism},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
This article explores the cultural appropriation of the term avatar by Western tech culture and what this implies for scholarship of digital games, virtual worlds, social media, and digital cultures. The term has roots in the religious tradition of the Indian subcontinent and was subsequently imported into video game terminology during a period of widespread appropriation of Eastern culture by Californian tech industries. We argue that the use of the term was not a case of happenstance but a signaling of the potential for computing to offer a mystical or enchanted perspective within an otherwise secular world. This suggests that the concept is useful in game cultures precisely because it plays with the “otherness” of the term's original meaning. We argue that this indicates a fundamental hybridity to gaming cultures that highlight the need to add postcolonial perspectives to how issues of diversity and power in gaming cultures are understood.