Polygamer - A Podcast of Equality & Diversity in Gaming & Video Games
  • About
  • Episodes
  • Guests
  • Subscribe
  • Contact

Tag Archives: Cambridge

Polygamer #105: T.L. Taylor on Twitch streaming

Posted on September 23, 2020 by Ken Gagne

Dr. T.L. Taylor is a professor at M.I.T. and the author of several books, including Watch Me Play – Twitch and the Rise of Game Live Streaming. Her ethnographic research into esports and online game streaming have led her to co-found AnyKey, an advocacy organization that supports diversity, inclusion, and equity in competitive gaming; and to be one of the founding members of Twitch’s Safety Advisory Council.

In this episode, I ask T.L. how esports led to Twitch and vice versa; how an external advisory council can sway an organization as large as Twitch; how one can write a book about a medium that is so quickly evolving; the AnyKey pledge that over 750,000 million streamers have taken; whether esports could survive without Twitch, or vice versa; what gaming can tell us about the future of our country’s culture and politics; and about her current research into amusement parks as commercialized play spaces.

Stream the audio edition of this interview below or from Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, Overcast, Pandora, Pocket Casts, iHeartRadio, TuneIn, RadioPublic, or the Internet Archive. Click past the jump for links to resources mentioned in this episode.

https://media.blubrry.com/polygamer/www.polygamer.net/wp-content/uploads/podcast/pg105-dr_tl_taylor.mp3

Podcast: Download (Duration: 57:07 — 27.1MB) | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Pandora | iHeartRadio | Stitcher | TuneIn | RSS | More

Continue reading →
Posted in Podcast | Tags: amusement parks, AnyKey, Boston, Cambridge, esports, Massachusetts, MIT, PhD, TL Taylor, Twitch, Twitch.TV |

Polygamer #65: MIT’s Prof. Kishonna Gray on justice studies

Posted on May 10, 2017 by Ken Gagne

Kishonna Gray is a visiting scholar at MIT’s Comparative Media Studies/Writing department, where she teaches Women & Gender Studies. She comes from Eastern Kentucky University, where she founded the Critical Gaming Lab; and from Arizona State University, where earned her Ph.D. in justice studies. She is the author of Race, Gender, and Deviance in Xbox Live, in which she examines deviant behavior in online gaming.

In this episode of Polygamer, I ask Kishonna about the correlation between justice studies and media studies; how her relationship with gaming evolved from being a gamer to an academic; why games became less diverse after the 1990s; whether entertainment media shows a rise in violence toward women, and the ways in which that is paralleled in online harassment and offline violence; her goal in founding EKU’s Critical Gaming Lab; what her time at MIT has allowed her to do that she couldn’t do at EKU; and the hope to be found in indie game development.

Stream the audio edition of this interview below or from Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, Overcast, Pandora, Pocket Casts, iHeartRadio, TuneIn, RadioPublic, or the Internet Archive. Click past the jump for links to resources mentioned in this episode.

Links mentioned in this episode:

Continue reading →
https://media.blubrry.com/polygamer/www.polygamer.net/wp-content/uploads/podcast/pg65-kishonna_gray.mp3

Podcast: Download (Duration: 51:43 — 24.5MB) | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Pandora | iHeartRadio | Stitcher | TuneIn | RSS | More

Posted in Podcast | Tags: Arizona State University, ASU, BAMIT, Cambridge, CMSW, Critical Gaming Lab, Eastern Kentucky University, EKU, Equity in Gaming, Justice Studies, Kishonna Gray, Massachusetts, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, MIT, PBS, social justice |

Anita Sarkeesian receives Harvard Humanist of the Year award

Posted on February 9, 2015 by Ken Gagne

It was a snowy day in Cambridge, Massachusetts, when Anita Sarkeesian came to Harvard University. As part of the Sunday Speaker series, Sarkeesian was there to accept an award from the Humanist Community at Harvard, an organization not officially affiliated with Harvard University. The Harvard Humanist of the Year Award featured a Gloria Steinem quote: "A feminist is anyone who recognizes the equality and full humanity of women and men."

"Humanism requires feminism," said emcee Greg Epstein, Humanist Chaplain at Harvard University. The connection is not obvious. In previous episodes of Polygamer, I’ve examined (and lamented) the varying interpretations of the word "feminism". "A feminist is someone who thinks women are superior to men," I’ve heard one person say; "I’m a humanist, not a feminist."

When invited to accept this award, even Anita Sarkeesian was initially skeptical, not of the correlation between humanism and feminism, but of how people interpret and identify with those labels. She confessed that she expected most of her critics to be the religious conservative, and while they are indeed represented among their detractors, atheists have proven to be a larger, more vocal contingent. She read to the audience several angry tweets she’s received with such hashtags as #humanism and #egalitarianism. The educated Harvard audience chuckled at how misinformed those Twitter users are, but there’s nothing funny about the harassment Sarkeesian receives on Twitter, regardless of how her critics self-identify.

Fortunately, Sarkeesian and Epstein were of like mind. "Any definition of humanism that does not include feminism is not on the side of justice," <a href=”https://twitter.com/gamebits/status/564501893893070849″ title=”Ken Gagne on Twitter: ‘Any definition of humanism that does not include feminism is not on the side of justice.’ -@femfreq””>said Sarkeesian. She addressed other groups that have erroneously positioned themselves at odds with her cause, such as Men’s Rights Activists, saying, "All the problems you’re having, feminism is trying to solve."

One audience member asked what they could do to help — which is a big question, one that would take more than a few minutes to answer! Sarkeesian ticked off several key points, including better representation of women in games, but she also included a personal plea: produce positive video responses to her Feminist Frequency series. "YouTube’s algorithm is such bullshit," she rightly griped. "’You liked a feminist video? Here’s a 100 anti-feminist videos for you to watch!’" Sarkeesian acknowledged that producing videos is a very public way to support her, and not one that many people would feel comfortable or safe doing.

After the talk and Q&A was a greeting line. I was in no rush to have my photo taken with Sarkeesian, having done so when she spoke at Northeastern University in November 2013. But I did want to at least say hello. Unfortunately, I was the last in line, and the line got cut off immediately after the person in front of me. Our reunion will have to come another time.

My thanks to Sarkeesian for enduring a snowstorm and a cold to come to Massachusetts. I went to her talk wondering why she’d bother speaking to a group of humanists, which seems off the beaten path for a media critic whose time I imagine is very much in demand. I walked away with a better understanding and appreciation of both sides.

Musician Magen Tracy opened the event with an original piece.
Musician Magen Tracy opened the event with an original piece.
Greg Epstein, Humanist Chaplain at Harvard University: "Humanism requires feminism."
Greg Epstein, Humanist Chaplain at Harvard University: “Humanism requires feminism.”
"A feminist is anyone who recognizes the equality and full humanity of women and men."
“A feminist is anyone who recognizes the equality and full humanity of women and men.”
Anita Sarkeesian receives her award.
Anita Sarkeesian receives her award.
Sarkeesian confesses to being initially skeptical of receiving an award from humanists, as her most virulent detractors often identify with that label.
Sarkeesian confesses to being initially skeptical of receiving an award from humanists, as her most virulent detractors often identify with that label.
It may not have come from Harvard University itself, but the award is still well-earned.
It may not have come from Harvard University itself, but the award is still well-earned.
A greeting line offered attendees the opportunity to meet Sarkeesian and get their photo taken.
A greeting line offered attendees the opportunity to meet Sarkeesian and get their photo taken.
The team that brought you this speaking event.
The team that brought you this speaking event.

Posted in Events | Tags: Anita Sarkeesian, Boston, Cambridge, Feminist Frequency, Harvard, humanism, humanist, Humanist Community at Harvard, New England |

Anita Sarkeesian in Cambridge, Mass. on Feb 8, 2015

Posted on January 27, 2015 by Ken Gagne

You can’t discuss equality and diversity in gaming without mentioning Anita Sarkeesian. The Kickstarter for her Feminist Frequency videos not only made the gaming industry aware of issues involving gender representation in games; it also began a chain of reactions that led to the founding of the Polygamer podcast.

Sarkeesian’s latest Kickstarter update outlines her accomplishments since launching her project and the challenges she’s faced along the way. Her mission has evolved to include numerous public speaking opportunities, including her October appearance on The Colbert Report.

Despite her growing popularity, Sarkeesian still makes time for local events as well. If you’re in the Boston area on Sunday, February 8, 2015, I encourage you to attend her talk at the Humanist Community at Harvard, part of their Sunday speaker series. Free tickets are required for the event — get yours at Eventbrite.

Post by Gamebits.

This won’t be Sarkeesian’s first visit to Boston: she spoke at Northeastern University in November 2013, after which some friends and I joined her for dinner.

Ken Gagne of Gamebits, Monica Castillo of Cinema Fix, Anita Sarkeesian of Feminist Frequency, and "Moviebob" Bob Chipman of the Escapist -- an all-star cast!

Ken Gagne of Gamebits, Monica Castillo of Cinema Fix, Anita Sarkeesian of Feminist Frequency, and “Moviebob” Bob Chipman of the Escapist — an all-star cast!

Sarkeesian is a stalwart ally and deserves all your support. Please join me in welcoming her to Boston!

Posted in Events | Tags: Anita Sarkeesian, Boston, Cambridge, Feminist Frequency, Harvard, humanism, humanist, Humanist Community at Harvard, New England |

Subscribe

Get our free email newsletter for updates on equality, diversity, podcasts, and more!
Send voicemailSend voicemail

Leave us a message, and we'll answer it on a future episode!

My Tweets

My Tweets

Recent Posts

  • Polygamer #128: Reflecting on Eight Years
  • Polygamer #127: Helene Utterback on polyamory
  • Polygamer #126: Aenne Schumann of Arcade Spirits
  • Polygamer #125: Game to Grow
  • Polygamer #124: Cyndi Wiley, Iowa State University’s Digital Accessibility Lead

Other podcasts

  • Character Reveal
  • Checkpoint
  • Ethics and Video Games
  • Feminist Frequency Radio
  • Spawn On Me
  • The Weekly Cooldown

Archived podcasts

  • +7 Intelligence
  • Diversi
  • Engage!
  • Fresh Out of Tokens
  • Gayme On
  • Girl on Guy
  • Less Than or Equal
  • Not Just a Game
  • Nuchallenger
  • Take This

CyberChimps WordPress Themes

Creative Commons License Polygamer by Gamebits is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Based on a work at https://www.polygamer.net/. Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available at https://www.polygamer.net/about/.
 

Loading Comments...