Play: Psychological and Anthropological Perspectives

“For many years, the conviction has grown upon me that civilization arises and unfolds in and as play”—Huizinga, Homo Ludens

Play is central to human experience—but what does it mean to play, and to what extent is play intrinsic to the human condition? In this course, we will consider play to be a central aspect of all imaginative life. We will look closely at the amazing complexity of human playworlds, both adult and child, and at the many aspects of our experiences through play. We will consider various domains of cultural life, such as ritual, theatre, improvisation, and storytelling—including the developmental origins in children of these modes of expression. Other topics will include therapeutic uses of play, the role of play in learning, play in virtual worlds, and the lifeworlds of competitive chess players. Throughout these inquiries, we will adopt an interdisciplinary perspective—charting the psychological, cultural, and social underpinnings of this imaginative realm. Students will be asked to choose a context in which to observe and/or participate in play with adults or children (such as at our Early Childhood Center or in another setting). Previous course work in psychology or anthropology is required.