Games, Politics & Psychology: Community Building in Games & Virtual Worlds

The 2025 edition of the Young Academics Workshop extends its focus beyond traditional gaming communities, delving into communities of care, activism, queer groups, and political/ideological communities. Titled Games, Politics & Psychology: Community Building in Games & Virtual Worlds it explores both the positive and negative aspects of these communities in the realm of games and new media, and their social consequences, such as in politics and activism.

Date: March 18, 2025
Location: University of Cologne, Aachener Str. 217, 50931 Köln, Room: Skyfall (3rd floor) 
Contact: youngacademics@clashofrealities.com

If you’re interested in joining the Young Academics Workshop, please register in advance to secure your spot. Spaces are limited and will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.

The Young Academic Workshop was first initiated in 2017 and has been an integral part of the Clash of Realities conference so far. It is aimed at young researchers at all levels – from Bachelor to Postdoc – and offers its participants a space to present, discuss, and elaborate their projects. Previously significant subjects that have been addressed at the workshop include: Female Figures: Present and Future of Storytelling, Play and Characters (Link), Atmospheric Propositions: Creating And Thinking the Aesthetics of Playable Atmospheres (Link) or Games, Play, Mental Health (Link).

Organizing Chairs: Katja Aller (Cologne Game Lab / University of Cologne), René Lang (University of Cologne), Su-Jin Song (Cologne Game Lab / TH Köln)

Advisory Board: Federico Alvarez Igarzábal (CGL), Vanessa Ossa (CGL), Felix Zimmermann (bpb Bundeszentrale für politische Bildung)

Organized by the Cologne Game Lab of the TH Köln – University of Applied Sciences (Germany) and the a.r.t.e.s. Graduate School for the Humanities of the University of Cologne (Germany)


Young Academics Workshop Game Jam 2025

The Young Academics Workshop will be followed by a Game Jam on the following day. The Game Jam complements the Workshop by combining scientific and artistic perspectives in practical processes and offering participants additional networking opportunities. The Game Jam is thematically based on the Young Academics Workshop 2025, which is being held in cooperation between the Cologne Game Lab at the University of Applied Sciences (TH Köln) and the a.r.t.e.s. Graduate School for the Humanities at the University of Cologne and with support of the Federal Agency for Civic Education (Bundeszentrale für politische Bildung/bpb).