Figured this “blog” could use a refresh. Going to try to put quick updates like this one up more often.
For the past couple of years, I’ve shifted into researching play and videogames (video game or videogame? I’m still not sure, but I see more academics using the compound nowadays). Back in 2024, before I settled on the compound word, I was lucky enough to present a paper at two separate conferences, titled “The Defence of the Video Game: Assessing ‘Poetic’ Stigma in Early Modern England and Contemporary America.” It’s mainly about how I think people in the early modern period thought of poetry the same way we think about videogames today. I use Sir Philip Sidney’s “The Defence of Poesy,” AKA “An Apology for Poetry,” and some of John Donne’s satire to make my point.
The first talk I gave was at the University of Wisconsin, Madison. I got to travel there with the financial support of my department. Rachel came along, acting as my paparazza. Here’s a picture of me presenting:
They also had an exhibit on games at their library.
The campus was beautiful.
And I came across Don… (click the right arrow below).
The second presentation was in Montreal, at the Canadian Game Studies Association’s annual conference.
I’m excited to be back there next month, presenting on Silent Hill 2 and melancholy.
