scholarly journals Ce que sait la main – la culture de l’artisanat, Richard Sennett, Albin Michel, 2010 (édition anglaise : The Craftsman, Yale University Press, 2008), 400 p.

2013 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 129
Author(s):  
Michel Marchesnay
Keyword(s):  
Yale University ◽  
Richard Sennett ◽  
The Craftsman

The Craftsman, by Richard Sennett

2009 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 133-135
Author(s):  
Glenn Adamson
Keyword(s):  
Richard Sennett ◽  
The Craftsman

scholarly journals Video gaming as craft consumption

2021 ◽  
pp. 146954052110160
Author(s):  
Tom Brock ◽  
Mark R Johnson
Keyword(s):  
Case Studies ◽  
Video Game ◽  
Video Gaming ◽  
Yale University ◽  
Skilled Labour ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Creative Self ◽  
Ensemble Activity ◽  
The Craftsman

This article repurposes Campbell’s (2005) concept of ‘the craft consumer’ to generate a new theory of video game consumption, which proposes that we identify the material practices typically associated with craft labour within acts of digital play. We draw on case studies from popular and community-driven video game titles including Dark Souls and Super Mario Maker to make our argument, suggesting that a grasp of the controls initiates material practices, like repetition, which provide the groundwork for craft skill. It is from this position that we argue that consumers initiate a craft-like ‘dialogue’ (Sennett R (2008) The Craftsman. London: Yale University Press.) with the game’s design that reveals the experimental and creative nature of video game consumption. Importantly, these case studies provide evidence to meet with Campbell’s definition of ‘craft consumption’ as an (1) ‘ensemble activity’ and (2) as a ‘collection’ of handmade things. The result is a better understanding of the consumer as someone who initiates experiences of skilled labour and creative self-expression through the craft of playing a video game. This article presents a new understanding of the (gaming) consumer whilst also challenging the idea that the experience of ‘craft consumption’ is typically reserved for the middle or professional classes, as Campbell maintains.

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