Revisiting metagames and metagaming: theoretical and methodological considerations

In the context of information behaviour, metagames and metagaming have been used to refer to information work related second-order activities that go beyond the expected ‘game’ of informational undertakings. This paper continues earlier discussion on informational metagames and metagaming by revisit...

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Main Author: Isto Huvila
Format: Article
Language:Spanish
Published: Universidad de la República 2023-06-01
Series:Informatio
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Online Access:https://informatio.fic.edu.uy/index.php/informatio/article/view/408
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author Isto Huvila
author_facet Isto Huvila
author_sort Isto Huvila
collection DOAJ
description In the context of information behaviour, metagames and metagaming have been used to refer to information work related second-order activities that go beyond the expected ‘game’ of informational undertakings. This paper continues earlier discussion on informational metagames and metagaming by revisiting the two concepts. It inquires further into how to theorise informational metagames and metagaming in terms of and in relation to what they do to information work, and discuss briefly issues relating to how to study informational metagames and metagaming empirically. It is proposed that metagaming can be conceived as a form of resistance, repair and extension of information work. As an often-invisible activity, the empirical study of metagaming is complicated by the difficulties to identify them, make them visible and to demarcate when an activity qualifies as a metagame. Some of the potential benefit of using metagaming as a lens to inquire into information activities are that it can help to shed light on the constituents and underpinnings of both games and their related metagames and to showcase and explicate the complexity and multi-normativity of information work related second-order activities.
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spelling doaj-art-ecef044a24e04ca9afcef2b4b2ab23b62025-08-20T03:02:02ZspaUniversidad de la RepúblicaInformatio2301-13782023-06-0128129634210.35643/Info.28.1.12408Revisiting metagames and metagaming: theoretical and methodological considerationsIsto HuvilaIn the context of information behaviour, metagames and metagaming have been used to refer to information work related second-order activities that go beyond the expected ‘game’ of informational undertakings. This paper continues earlier discussion on informational metagames and metagaming by revisiting the two concepts. It inquires further into how to theorise informational metagames and metagaming in terms of and in relation to what they do to information work, and discuss briefly issues relating to how to study informational metagames and metagaming empirically. It is proposed that metagaming can be conceived as a form of resistance, repair and extension of information work. As an often-invisible activity, the empirical study of metagaming is complicated by the difficulties to identify them, make them visible and to demarcate when an activity qualifies as a metagame. Some of the potential benefit of using metagaming as a lens to inquire into information activities are that it can help to shed light on the constituents and underpinnings of both games and their related metagames and to showcase and explicate the complexity and multi-normativity of information work related second-order activities.https://informatio.fic.edu.uy/index.php/informatio/article/view/408metagamesmetagaminginformation workinformation behaviour
spellingShingle Isto Huvila
Revisiting metagames and metagaming: theoretical and methodological considerations
Informatio
metagames
metagaming
information work
information behaviour
title Revisiting metagames and metagaming: theoretical and methodological considerations
title_full Revisiting metagames and metagaming: theoretical and methodological considerations
title_fullStr Revisiting metagames and metagaming: theoretical and methodological considerations
title_full_unstemmed Revisiting metagames and metagaming: theoretical and methodological considerations
title_short Revisiting metagames and metagaming: theoretical and methodological considerations
title_sort revisiting metagames and metagaming theoretical and methodological considerations
topic metagames
metagaming
information work
information behaviour
url https://informatio.fic.edu.uy/index.php/informatio/article/view/408
work_keys_str_mv AT istohuvila revisitingmetagamesandmetagamingtheoreticalandmethodologicalconsiderations