Play is performative, constitutive of the lives we live.  In play we make-up the life we want and don’t want.  Our lives are living playlabs–approach with curiosity!

Play is viewed as being central to creativity and innovation. Yet research on play often focuses on children’s play. And today, increasingly play is being explored within the conceptual spaces of gaming. But, how do adults think of play? How do they play and use play in their everyday life has not been researched. We do not have an understanding of play in everyday life.

Play which is a creative force for everyday life and living is often viewed as being childlike or frivolous. Laura Richardson, a principal designer at frog design, a global innovation firm states in The Atlantic that “I predict the countries that take play seriously, not only nurturing it in education and the workforce but also formalizing it as a national effort, will quickly rise in the world order.”

Daniel Pink, well-known author on business and cultural shifts,  states that “design, story, symphony, empathy, play and meaning” are the senses we need to develop to succeed in the world of today and tomorrow. So, how do we understand play?

I explore play within the context of everyday living, especially performing cultural scripts of coupling and parenting; teaching and learning; leading and collaborating; and research.  I explore the notion of play at the intersection of communicative action, anthropology, complexity sciences, and performance studies.  The focus of my inquiry is:

  • What is play?
  • How do we play?

To learn more about our projects visit About PlayLab.