HSUHK Global Humanities Initiative Colloquium: “Shall We Play? Cultural Reference for the Current Debate”

Hong Kong
28 October 2021

Introduction

‘Play’ is instinctive and essential to human nature, regardless of age and time. In the modern days, kids love playing with toys in their rooms, teenagers are playing video games, staring at their 3C products, elderly like to play chess. Back in ancient times, kids would also play games, like cricket fight. Apart from playing for fun, games can also be used for learning purposes. For example, you might still remember your kindergarten teachers played games with you while you were learning vocabulary. It is not exaggerating to say that play occupies an important role in human development.

Since the outbreak of the COVID pandemic, social distancing has to be observed all the time, some cities even experienced total lockdown. Kids cannot go to school to meet, hang out, and play with their classmates. This unprecedented pandemic is casting a shadow on our daily social life, and thus, on our mental health. On the other hand, society is concerned by the debate of whether gaming is good or bad for teenagers. The background of the colloquial is to explore the effects brought by gaming, by play, on the individuals and on society.

Participation

Date: 28 Oct 2021 (Thu)
Time: 4:00 – 6:00 p.m.
Venue / Platform: Fung Yiu King Hall, HSUHK / ZOOM (invitation link will be sent to online participants on 27 OCT)
Language: English

Co-Chairmen

• Prof. Gilbert Fong, Co-Director of HSUHK Global Humanities Initiative Committee
• Prof. Desmond Hui, Founding Head & Professor of the Department of Art and Design (AAD), HSUHK

Speakers

• Prof. Luiz Oosterbeek, President of the International Council for Philosophy and Humanistic Studies (CIPSH)
• Prof. Hsiung Ping-chen, Secretary-general of CIPSH; Co-Director of HSUHK Global Humanities Initiative Committee

Discussants

• Dr. Christine Choy, Associate Head and Assistant Professor, AAD, HSUHK
• Dr. Siu Sai Yau, Assistant Professor, School of Translation and Foreign Languages, HSUHK

*Prof. Simon Ho, President of HSUHK, will grace the event by giving opening remarks.

All are welcome to join the colloquium. For registration, please go to https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfDtuRrbMVxIYxzXIYBGI_bq1lEHFC_VxoGmoKumyN3Jgxp3w/viewform