
Toy Theory
Technology and Imagination in Play
- Paperback
286 pages
- Release Date
29 November 2024
Summary
A novel interpretation of the history and theory of technology from the perspective of toys, play, and play objects.
Toy Theory addresses the relationships between toys and technology in two distinct but overlapping ways: first, as underexamined cultural artifacts and behaviors with significant technical attributes; and, second, as playful and toylike dimensions of technology at large. Seth Giddings sets out a “toy theory” of technology that emphasizes the speculative, experi…
Book Details
| ISBN-13: | 9780262548212 |
|---|---|
| ISBN-10: | 0262548216 |
| Author: | Seth Giddings |
| Publisher: | MIT Press Ltd |
| Imprint: | MIT Press |
| Format: | Paperback |
| Number of Pages: | 286 |
| Release Date: | 29 November 2024 |
| Weight: | 369g |
| Dimensions: | 229mm x 152mm |
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What They're Saying
Critics Review
“The richness of this book’s media archaeological methods together with a solid understanding of current design cultures makes the reader think: Why did this book not exist already?”
—Jussi Parikka, Professor, Aarhus University
“Toy Theory advances a fresh theoretical framework for toy analysis that promises to energize subsequent research on playthings and reveals how play has functioned as a vital driver of technological innovation.”
—Meredith A. Bak, Associate Professor of Childhood Studies, Rutgers University–
Camden; author of Playful Visions
“Through centering toys in this fascinating and ambitious work, Giddings breathes fresh life into our understanding of play and, ultimately, technology.”
—T. L. Taylor, Professor of Comparative Media Studies, MIT
“Toy Theory offers an original perspective and is a fascinating read, consistently rooted in the dynamics of play, but also informing a range of media studies through the characteristic ‘mode of relationality’ of toys.”
—Neural
About The Author
Seth Giddings
Seth Giddings teaches postdigital culture and creative technologies at Winchester School of Art, University of Southampton. He is the author of Gameworlds- Virtual Media and Children’s Everyday Play, coeditor of The New Media & Technocultures Reader, and a coauthor of New Media- A Critical Introduction.
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