[Commlist] 'Levelling the Play Field' Online Seminar Series @ Brunel Games Research

/Levelling the Play Field:/
/Game Changers, Innovation, and Intersectional Challenges in the Gaming 
Industries/
Brunel University, London – Games Design Division Seminar Series 2021-22

The Seminar Series will bring together (online, via Zoom) researchers, 
practitioners, and representatives from advocacy groups to discuss 
timely issues of diversity and inclusion in the gaming and creative 
industries and play practices.

Working across related sectors, the Seminars aim to facilitate the 
sharing of practices, insights, and expertise in women’s rights, 
LGBTQI+, BIPOC, ability and neurodiversity, and class and labour issues.

The Seminars also aim to foster constructive debates around the 
development of shared strategies and collaborative efforts towards 
tangible inclusive transformations in academia, the industry, and society.

The 2021 workshops will bring together academics focusing on issues of 
gender, ethnicity, and neurodiversity with representatives from groups 
such as Latinx in Gaming, POC in Play, and Autistica. Representatives 
from British DiGRA (https://bdigra.org.uk/ <https://bdigra.org.uk/>), 
which endorses the initiative, will also attend the workshops as 
Resident Correspondents. More to come in 2022.


~2021 Programme, online via Zoom~
–– Wed 24 November, 5 pm GMT ––
Speakers:
Cristina Amaya (she/her), President, Latinx in Gaming
& Juan Vaca (he/him), Vice-President, Latinx in Gaming (he/him),
"Latinx in Gaming - Defining a Community".
/Join the co-founders of Latinx in Gaming as they discuss how a group of 
volunteers mobilized to create an online community into an award-winning 
non-profit organization./
Discussants:
Dr Jennifer Malkowski (they/them) (Smith College)
& Dr TreaAndrea M. Russworm (she/her) (University of Massachusetts 
Amherst), Editors: /Gaming Representations: Race, Gender, and Sexuality 
in Video Games/(2017, Indiana University Press)

EventBite Registration page: 
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/levelling-the-playing-field-seminar-series-tickets-208480690357 
<https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/levelling-the-playing-field-seminar-series-tickets-208480690357>

–– Wed 8 December, 2 pm GMT ––
Speaker:
Dr Anna Ozimek (she/her) (Researcher affiliated with University of 
York/Screen Industries Growth Network),
"Organising inclusive events in the Game Industry: What we can learn 
from the events organisers?".
/The presentation discusses the findings of a knowledge exchange project 
about organising informal learning spaces (e.g. game jams, workshops and 
networking events) for the game industry. Based on analyses of secondary 
sources and 22 interviews with people engaged in organising different 
events and initiatives for the gaming industry, we co-developed a report 
and a set of guidelines for the industry. During the presentation, we 
will discuss the importance of informal events for the game industry and 
their crucial role in creating a more diverse, inclusive and equitable 
industry sector. /
Discussant: Nida Ahmad, POC in Play, https://www.pocplay.org/ 
<https://www.pocplay.org/>
EventBite Registration page: Coming Soon


–– Thu 16th December, 2 pmGMT ––
Speaker:
Dominic Shaw (EDI Coordinator, Ukie) (he/him),
"Deep Dive Into EDI For The Games Industry: Challenges & Opportunities 
Around Neurodiversity".
/In this session Dom Shaw, EDI Coordinator at Ukie, will discuss and 
explore the intersectionality of neurodiversity and video games; 
explained through Dom’s lived experience and detailed knowledge on the 
topic. Giving a brief introduction on what neurodiversity is and the 
games industry to begin with, Dom will swiftly move onto talking about 
some of the challenges neurodiverse people face through employment, 
representation and general understanding from others. Dom will equally 
talk about how Ukie and others in the games industry are working to 
create a more accessible and welcoming environment for neurodiverse 
talent and players alike. /
Discussant: Berta Nuredini (she/her), Autistica (www.autistica.org.uk/ 
<http://www.autistica.org.uk/>)
EventBite Registration page: Coming Soon

~

(If you would like to suggest similar events for this series, please get 
in touch at (marcobenoit.carbone /at/ brunel.ac.uk) 
<mailto:(marcobenoit.carbone /at/ brunel.ac.uk)>)


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