Tom Brock
Datos Biográficos
| ID | 160709 |
|---|---|
| NOMBRE | Tom Brock |
| NOMBRES | Tom |
| APELLIDO | Brock |
| FIRMA | BROCK T |
| AFILIACIONES | Manchester Metropolitan University |
| ORCID | 0000-0002-0965-0945 |
| VERIFICADO | Sí |
| TOTAL DE OBRAS | 16 |
| TOTAL DE CITAS | 48 |
| TOTAL COMO AUTOR | 16 |
| TOTAL COMO EDITOR | 0 |
| PRIMER AÑO DE PUBLICACIÓN | 2014 |
| AÑO MÁS RECIENTE DE PUBLICACIÓN | 2026 |
| ÍNDICE H | 5 |
Refining the measurement of human reflexivity
This article presents new quantitative measures of the modes of reflexivity identified by Margaret Archer (2003), addressing measurement limitations of Archer’s Internal Conversation Indicator (ICONI). Despite the widespread theoretical and empirical application of Archer's reflexivity framework, quantitative studies remain limited, and there is evidence of validity issues with Archer's original ICONI instrument. Operationalizing our alternative …
Human Reflexivity and Human Wellbeing
By integrating concepts from the work of Margaret Archer and self‐determination theory, this article extends both of those bodies of work and offers a new sociopsychological explanation of how conscious decision‐making processes can influence the quality of human experiences and human wellbeing. The article argues that Archer's work provides an adequate sociopsychological account of (a) how people make conscious decisions (via reflexivity) and (b…
Routledge Handbook of Esports
The esports industry has experienced remarkable growth in recent years, evolving into a multi-billion-dollar sector with a global audience. This rapid expansion requires effective public relations (PR), communications, and crisis management strategies to navigate challenges and opportunities. This chapter overviews esports PR and effective communication within the esports industry. A review of esports PR and relevant stakeholders is presented, wh…
Just Fun and Games? A Sociological Consideration of Fun in Video Games
The concept of “fun” is widely used within the game design and game studies literature, and is frequently highlighted as a key component of good game design, as well as a key factor in why people play games. However, it is a term rarely unpacked, and fun in video games remains relatively underresearched, certainly in comparison to other associated terms such as “play.” This article therefore provides a much-needed sociological exploration of a te…
The esports experience economy
Purpose This study aims to examine the cultural and economic circumstances that shape esports consumer agency through case studies of “experiential consumption” (Miles, 2021). Design/methodology/approach A multiple-case study approach (Stake, 2006) is deployed alongside participant observation and document analysis to identify three cases of experiential consumption in esports – an esports tournament, a large online community for gaming periphera…
The gamblification of digital games
The consumption of digital games has become increasingly "gamblified" (Gainsbury et al, 2015; Zanescu et al, 2020) in recent years. Due to the changes in media landscape such as the development of new forms of gambling via the Internet and mobile phones, consumers can now play games and gamble in real-time and from almost any location (Newall et al, 2019; King et al, 2010; Griffiths & Parke, 2010). The growing intersections between digital games,…
Video gaming as craft consumption
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 p…
The imperative to be seen
In this paper we examine the pursuit of celebrity through the live broadcast (‘streaming’) of video games as an expression of an emerging moral economy of contemporary digital capitalism. Live streaming is a novel form overwhelmingly found amongst young people disproportionately harmed by the economic crisis, and we propose that the contraction of employment opportunities is giving rise to a strong imperative to be seen, which finds an outlet in …
Is computer gaming a craft? Prehension, practice, and puzzle-solving in gaming labour
This article applies sociological theories of ‘craft’ to computer gaming practices to conceptualise the relationship between play, games, and labour. Using the example of the game Dota 2, as both a competitive esport title and a complex game based around a shared practice, this article examines the conditions under which the play of a computer game can be considered a ‘craft’. In particular, through the concept of ‘prehension’, we dissect the gam…
Social movements, historical absence and the problematization of self-harm in the UK, 1980–2000
This article engages Bhaskar's category of absence and Foucault's notion of problematization in the context of explaining an example of the historical emergence of political activism. Specifically, it considers the emergence of the ‘psychiatric survivors’ social movement in the UK, with a focus on the ‘politics of self-harm’. The politics of self-harm refers to acts of self-injurious behaviour, such as drug over-dosage or self-laceration, which d…
Structure, Culture and Agency
Professor Margaret Archer is a leading critical realist and major contemporary social theorist. This edited collection seeks to celebrate the scope and accomplishments of her work, distilling her theoretical and empirical contributions into four sections which capture the essence and trajectory of her research over almost four decades. Long fascinated with the problem of structure and agency, Archer’s work has constituted a decade-long engagement…
Roger Caillois and E-Sports
In Man, Play and Games, Roger Caillois warns against the "rationalization" of play by working life and argues that the professionalization of competitive games (agôn) will have a negative impact on people and society. In this article, I elaborate on Caillois' argument by suggesting that the professional context of electronic sports (e-Sports) rationalizes play by turning player psychology toward the pursuit of extrinsic rewards. This is evidenced…
Videogame consumption
This article applies psychological-sociological accounts of the ‘apophatic’, a form of negative thinking, to examples of gaming practices to conceptualise a new theory of videogame consumption. It challenges the prevailing notion that the games consumer is always a ‘cataphatic’ thinker – that is, an activistic, rational-pleasure seeker – and looks to the ‘sorrows’ of gaming to find evidence of its more undesirable nature. The term ‘apophatic’ is …
Structure, Culture and Agency
Professor Margaret Archer is a leading critical realist and major contemporary social theorist. This edited collection seeks to celebrate the scope and accomplishments of her work, distilling her theoretical and empirical contributions into four sections which capture the essence and trajectory of her research over almost four decades. Long fascinated with the problem of structure and agency, Archer’s work has constituted a decade-long engagement…
Populism, Ideology and Contradiction
Forms of populism have long been a component of modern political discourse and systems where democracy relies upon popular legitimacy. There is, however, an uneasy relationship between some widely held views of 'the people' and the parties which seek to govern them. Contemporary academic and political discourse on populism often equates these views with right-wing politics, whilst some radical scholars, suggest that these views, whilst controvers…
Realism and Contingency
This paper constitutes an extended response to A thanasia C halari's paper The Causal Impact of Resistance , which suggests that one may derive from internal conversations a causal explanation of resistance. In the context of our engagements with critical realism and digital research into social movements, we review C halari's main argument, before applying it to a concrete case: the student protests in L ondon, 2010. Whilst our account is sympat…
Videogame consumption
This article applies psychological-sociological accounts of the ‘apophatic’, a form of negative thinking, to examples of gaming practices to conceptualise a new theory of videogame consumption. It challenges the prevailing notion that the games consumer is always a ‘cataphatic’ thinker – that is, an activistic, rational-pleasure seeker – and looks to the ‘sorrows’ of gaming to find evidence of its more undesirable nature. The term ‘apophatic’ is …
Structure, Culture and Agency
Professor Margaret Archer is a leading critical realist and major contemporary social theorist. This edited collection seeks to celebrate the scope and accomplishments of her work, distilling her theoretical and empirical contributions into four sections which capture the essence and trajectory of her research over almost four decades. Long fascinated with the problem of structure and agency, Archer’s work has constituted a decade-long engagement…
Roger Caillois and E-Sports
In Man, Play and Games, Roger Caillois warns against the "rationalization" of play by working life and argues that the professionalization of competitive games (agôn) will have a negative impact on people and society. In this article, I elaborate on Caillois' argument by suggesting that the professional context of electronic sports (e-Sports) rationalizes play by turning player psychology toward the pursuit of extrinsic rewards. This is evidenced…
The gamblification of digital games
The consumption of digital games has become increasingly "gamblified" (Gainsbury et al, 2015; Zanescu et al, 2020) in recent years. Due to the changes in media landscape such as the development of new forms of gambling via the Internet and mobile phones, consumers can now play games and gamble in real-time and from almost any location (Newall et al, 2019; King et al, 2010; Griffiths & Parke, 2010). The growing intersections between digital games,…
Structure, Culture and Agency
Professor Margaret Archer is a leading critical realist and major contemporary social theorist. This edited collection seeks to celebrate the scope and accomplishments of her work, distilling her theoretical and empirical contributions into four sections which capture the essence and trajectory of her research over almost four decades. Long fascinated with the problem of structure and agency, Archer’s work has constituted a decade-long engagement…
Realism and Contingency
This paper constitutes an extended response to A thanasia C halari's paper The Causal Impact of Resistance , which suggests that one may derive from internal conversations a causal explanation of resistance. In the context of our engagements with critical realism and digital research into social movements, we review C halari's main argument, before applying it to a concrete case: the student protests in L ondon, 2010. Whilst our account is sympat…
Populism, Ideology and Contradiction
Forms of populism have long been a component of modern political discourse and systems where democracy relies upon popular legitimacy. There is, however, an uneasy relationship between some widely held views of 'the people' and the parties which seek to govern them. Contemporary academic and political discourse on populism often equates these views with right-wing politics, whilst some radical scholars, suggest that these views, whilst controvers…
Video gaming as craft consumption
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 p…
Just Fun and Games? A Sociological Consideration of Fun in Video Games
The concept of “fun” is widely used within the game design and game studies literature, and is frequently highlighted as a key component of good game design, as well as a key factor in why people play games. However, it is a term rarely unpacked, and fun in video games remains relatively underresearched, certainly in comparison to other associated terms such as “play.” This article therefore provides a much-needed sociological exploration of a te…
The esports experience economy
Purpose This study aims to examine the cultural and economic circumstances that shape esports consumer agency through case studies of “experiential consumption” (Miles, 2021). Design/methodology/approach A multiple-case study approach (Stake, 2006) is deployed alongside participant observation and document analysis to identify three cases of experiential consumption in esports – an esports tournament, a large online community for gaming periphera…
Realism and Contingency
This paper constitutes an extended response to A thanasia C halari's paper The Causal Impact of Resistance , which suggests that one may derive from internal conversations a causal explanation of resistance. In the context of our engagements with critical realism and digital research into social movements, we review C halari's main argument, before applying it to a concrete case: the student protests in L ondon, 2010. Whilst our account is sympat…
Populism, Ideology and Contradiction
Forms of populism have long been a component of modern political discourse and systems where democracy relies upon popular legitimacy. There is, however, an uneasy relationship between some widely held views of 'the people' and the parties which seek to govern them. Contemporary academic and political discourse on populism often equates these views with right-wing politics, whilst some radical scholars, suggest that these views, whilst controvers…
Videogame consumption
This article applies psychological-sociological accounts of the ‘apophatic’, a form of negative thinking, to examples of gaming practices to conceptualise a new theory of videogame consumption. It challenges the prevailing notion that the games consumer is always a ‘cataphatic’ thinker – that is, an activistic, rational-pleasure seeker – and looks to the ‘sorrows’ of gaming to find evidence of its more undesirable nature. The term ‘apophatic’ is …
Structure, Culture and Agency
Professor Margaret Archer is a leading critical realist and major contemporary social theorist. This edited collection seeks to celebrate the scope and accomplishments of her work, distilling her theoretical and empirical contributions into four sections which capture the essence and trajectory of her research over almost four decades. Long fascinated with the problem of structure and agency, Archer’s work has constituted a decade-long engagement…
Social movements, historical absence and the problematization of self-harm in the UK, 1980–2000
This article engages Bhaskar's category of absence and Foucault's notion of problematization in the context of explaining an example of the historical emergence of political activism. Specifically, it considers the emergence of the ‘psychiatric survivors’ social movement in the UK, with a focus on the ‘politics of self-harm’. The politics of self-harm refers to acts of self-injurious behaviour, such as drug over-dosage or self-laceration, which d…
Structure, Culture and Agency
Professor Margaret Archer is a leading critical realist and major contemporary social theorist. This edited collection seeks to celebrate the scope and accomplishments of her work, distilling her theoretical and empirical contributions into four sections which capture the essence and trajectory of her research over almost four decades. Long fascinated with the problem of structure and agency, Archer’s work has constituted a decade-long engagement…
Roger Caillois and E-Sports
In Man, Play and Games, Roger Caillois warns against the "rationalization" of play by working life and argues that the professionalization of competitive games (agôn) will have a negative impact on people and society. In this article, I elaborate on Caillois' argument by suggesting that the professional context of electronic sports (e-Sports) rationalizes play by turning player psychology toward the pursuit of extrinsic rewards. This is evidenced…
Is computer gaming a craft? Prehension, practice, and puzzle-solving in gaming labour
This article applies sociological theories of ‘craft’ to computer gaming practices to conceptualise the relationship between play, games, and labour. Using the example of the game Dota 2, as both a competitive esport title and a complex game based around a shared practice, this article examines the conditions under which the play of a computer game can be considered a ‘craft’. In particular, through the concept of ‘prehension’, we dissect the gam…
The imperative to be seen
In this paper we examine the pursuit of celebrity through the live broadcast (‘streaming’) of video games as an expression of an emerging moral economy of contemporary digital capitalism. Live streaming is a novel form overwhelmingly found amongst young people disproportionately harmed by the economic crisis, and we propose that the contraction of employment opportunities is giving rise to a strong imperative to be seen, which finds an outlet in …
The gamblification of digital games
The consumption of digital games has become increasingly "gamblified" (Gainsbury et al, 2015; Zanescu et al, 2020) in recent years. Due to the changes in media landscape such as the development of new forms of gambling via the Internet and mobile phones, consumers can now play games and gamble in real-time and from almost any location (Newall et al, 2019; King et al, 2010; Griffiths & Parke, 2010). The growing intersections between digital games,…
Video gaming as craft consumption
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 p…
Routledge Handbook of Esports
The esports industry has experienced remarkable growth in recent years, evolving into a multi-billion-dollar sector with a global audience. This rapid expansion requires effective public relations (PR), communications, and crisis management strategies to navigate challenges and opportunities. This chapter overviews esports PR and effective communication within the esports industry. A review of esports PR and relevant stakeholders is presented, wh…
Just Fun and Games? A Sociological Consideration of Fun in Video Games
The concept of “fun” is widely used within the game design and game studies literature, and is frequently highlighted as a key component of good game design, as well as a key factor in why people play games. However, it is a term rarely unpacked, and fun in video games remains relatively underresearched, certainly in comparison to other associated terms such as “play.” This article therefore provides a much-needed sociological exploration of a te…
The esports experience economy
Purpose This study aims to examine the cultural and economic circumstances that shape esports consumer agency through case studies of “experiential consumption” (Miles, 2021). Design/methodology/approach A multiple-case study approach (Stake, 2006) is deployed alongside participant observation and document analysis to identify three cases of experiential consumption in esports – an esports tournament, a large online community for gaming periphera…
Refining the measurement of human reflexivity
This article presents new quantitative measures of the modes of reflexivity identified by Margaret Archer (2003), addressing measurement limitations of Archer’s Internal Conversation Indicator (ICONI). Despite the widespread theoretical and empirical application of Archer's reflexivity framework, quantitative studies remain limited, and there is evidence of validity issues with Archer's original ICONI instrument. Operationalizing our alternative …
Human Reflexivity and Human Wellbeing
By integrating concepts from the work of Margaret Archer and self‐determination theory, this article extends both of those bodies of work and offers a new sociopsychological explanation of how conscious decision‐making processes can influence the quality of human experiences and human wellbeing. The article argues that Archer's work provides an adequate sociopsychological account of (a) how people make conscious decisions (via reflexivity) and (b…
Sociology (11 obras) · Digital Games and Media (7 obras) · Philosophy (7 obras) · Computer Science (6 obras) · Epistemology (6 obras) · Political science (6 obras) · Psychology (6 obras) · Social science (6 obras) · Business (5 obras) · Critical Realism in Sociology (5 obras)