Re: [xmca] FW: Cultural History of Play

[mike cole <lchcmike@gmail.com>]

Thanks Suzanne! Our discussion started around the article in a recent New
Yorker about design of playgrounds for kids that traces their original
intentions in the hands of late 19th century progressives to the current
feeding frenzy about developing little kids' brains.

Mary suggested the article in the first place and in response to a question
from me she remarked on cultural variations in the way 3-6 year olds are
treated and behave in various cultures (her example was 3 year olds walking
a long way to school by themselves that she has encountered in South
Africa). I mentioned examples from Barbara Rogoff's text book, and cc'ed
you. you are up to date. thanks again.
mike

On Sun, Jul 4, 2010 at 2:07 PM, Suzanne Gaskins
<suzanne.gaskins@gmail.com>wrote:

> The group was TASP, The Association for the Study of Play--which still
> exists. The related journal is now called Play and Culture Studies. You can
> read about both at this link <http://www.tasplay.org>.
> It's not entirely clear to me what you are looking for, but if you explain
> it a little more, I'll see if I know some references for you. I'm in the
> middle of writing a handbook article on cultural influences on pretend play,
> so it is all right in front of me. And Artin and I have a new (and
> improved!) version of our old newsletter article that you referred to coming
> out soon in Pellegrini's Play Handbook.
> I'll attach here, in case they are of interest (to you, too, Mike), some
> recent articles I have about play based on my work with the Maya and
> others'. The first two pdf's are a one page argument about play and work and
> the title page of the handbook it is in. The next comes from the Play and
> Culture Studies series and is on how emotion might work differently in play
> in other cultures. The next is an argument about adult commitment to play.
> Next, a presentation from this spring, which is beginning to unpack the
> characteristics of pretend for the Yucatec Maya and argues that less
> commitment to pretend (and the lack of fantasy pretend) are culturally
> consistent. The next is an argument that children's social worlds are
> fundamentally different when they spend time in mixed-age siblings/relatives
> groups rather than in same-age peer groups. And the last is a review of
> observational learning, which is a bit off topic, but there is a section
> about how the kind of attention the Maya (and others) have leads them to
> want to stay in the here and now and thus has implications for pretend play.
>
> Suzanne
>
> On Sun, Jul 4, 2010 at 3:39 PM, mike cole <lchcmike@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> I am unsure, Pentti, that is why I asked about current ethnography
>> of play. Perhaps Corsarro's work is relevant? But it is American and not
>> likely to help in quests for diversity of cases.
>> mike
>>
>>
>> On Sun, Jul 4, 2010 at 12:08 PM, Pentti Hakkarainen <
>> pentti.hakkarainen@oulu.fi> wrote:
>>
>>> Quoting mike cole <lchcmike@gmail.com>:
>>> Hei,
>>>
>>> Just found a new text about smysl in a new book about
>>> social epistemology in Russian. Also provoked Zinchenko
>>> to collect his ideas from a psychologists point of view.
>>> I try to connect these with play analyses. Seems that
>>> the proposed mechanism of "smyslo-obrazovanie" is the same
>>> as improvisation in advanced role-play. I think Gaskins-Goncu
>>> comparative analysis of cultures is very relevant.
>>>
>>> In the 1980's there was a society doing ethnographic research
>>> on play and publishing books. But I have not seen anything lately.
>>> Perhaps it has died away?
>>>
>>> Pentti
>>>
>>>  Hi Mary and Pentti--
>>>>
>>>> Mary-- I have recently used Barbara Rogoff's book on culture and
>>>> development. Barbara provides many examples of very young kids engaged
>>>> in
>>>> what American adults think of as work activity like walking a good
>>>> distance
>>>> to market on their own and selling stuff too. (Its not clear to me how
>>>> "alone" they are in this whole process from the descriptions but i have
>>>> not
>>>> properly followed up the references. Certainly, the work of Gaskins and
>>>> Goncu emphasizes the diminished role of overt pretend play in 3-6 year
>>>> olds
>>>> in many cultures relative to European/American/"modernized" cultural
>>>> configurations of early childhood.
>>>>
>>>> Are there any recent ethnographies of early childhood in the varied
>>>> cultures
>>>> of South Africa? I know there was considerable interest in this topic
>>>> 100
>>>> years ago. What has changed since colonial "Kiddish" times?
>>>>
>>>> Pennti. It is easy to agree that play is sense making, at least for me.
>>>> I
>>>> have tried to figure out the different micro-hermeneutical processes
>>>> (Achille's thought provoking way of talking about what we tend to think
>>>> of
>>>> as micro-genesis) involved in the most recent New Yorker cover. The
>>>> variety
>>>> of paths of sense making is pretty amazing, just for this one playful
>>>> object!! Have you checked it out?
>>>>
>>>> Re brain/education/development. It would be interesting to assay what
>>>> proportion of the articles in that journal are interested in
>>>> brain-->differences in educational attainment processes and which
>>>> proportion
>>>> are interested in organization of setting-->brain
>>>> differences<-->behavioral
>>>> differences. And in allied journals as well.
>>>> (in someone's free time!)
>>>> mike
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> On Sun, Jul 4, 2010 at 8:21 AM, Pentti Hakkarainen <
>>>>
>>>> pentti.hakkarainen@oulu.fi> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>  Quoting Mary van der Riet <vanderriet@ukzn.ac.za>:
>>>>> Hi Mary and others,
>>>>>
>>>>> It is interesting what kind of evidence is changing people's
>>>>> relation to early years education and play. Neuroscience and
>>>>> relation between executive functions and play woke people up.
>>>>> But I still think that Brian Sutton-Smith is right when he
>>>>> says that people look for wrong effect, from wrong place and with
>>>>> wrong methods in play research. The essence of play is that it is
>>>>> sense making activity, but it may be impossible to open what this
>>>>> means using English. It may be impossible to properly analyze
>>>>> cultural history of play without analyzing play as sense making
>>>>> activity.
>>>>>
>>>>> In Scandinavia there are some theses trying to reveal
>>>>> the semiotics of space in day care institutions, not just yards.
>>>>> In our faculty one doctoral student tries to analyze 4000 photos
>>>>> from day care institutions trying to explain the superiority of
>>>>> the Finnish system (in vain I think). There are some attempts to
>>>>> change the principles how activities are spatially carried out
>>>>> (we have a lot of ordinary houses used as day care centers and
>>>>> they are not planned for this purpose).
>>>>>
>>>>> Best wishes
>>>>> Pentti Hakkarainen
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>  Hi Mike
>>>>>
>>>>>> World Cup wise yes it is a bit cold here, but then it is also winter,
>>>>>> so
>>>>>> 5 degrees at 8/30pm in Johannesburg is not unusual. This World Cup has
>>>>>> been so full of suprises, but also great for South African nationalism
>>>>>> (a rather tricky concept).
>>>>>>
>>>>>> About the play podcast - someone referred it to me, and yes I assume
>>>>>> the
>>>>>> text is the same as the podcast. I have an interest in the area, from
>>>>>> my
>>>>>> interest in children, rather than an academic specialization. There
>>>>>> are
>>>>>> a lot of differences between children across continents (and within
>>>>>> South Africa) in terms of how much freedom and responsibility they
>>>>>> have.
>>>>>> In one area I worked in, it was not uncommon for 3 year olds to walk
>>>>>> 1,5
>>>>>> km home from preschool on their own. Their playground/play equipment
>>>>>> was
>>>>>> also relatively unsophisticated.
>>>>>>  I was a bit disappointed that the podcast content was fairly
>>>>>> superficial, but I suppose that is the nature of the form of media.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> regards
>>>>>> Mary
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Mary van der Riet; School of Psychology; University of KwaZulu-Natal
>>>>>> Private Bag X01, Scottsville, 3209
>>>>>>
>>>>>> email: vanderriet@ukzn.ac.za
>>>>>> tel: 033 260 6163;  fax: 033 2605809
>>>>>>
>>>>>>  mike cole <lchcmike@gmail.com> 07/04/10 01:04 AM >>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>  Hi Mary--
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Thanks for the tip on that story underneath the oil spill. I had not
>>>>>> read
>>>>>> that far yet. I have read it now, though.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> There was a lot in that article that was new to me. (I assume the pod
>>>>>> cast
>>>>>> text was the same as the written text??)  I have never read about the
>>>>>> history of the playground movement and found it very interesting. It
>>>>>> was
>>>>>> also fascinating the stars in this current story were architects who
>>>>>> had
>>>>>> kids or were fascinated by the freedom of design that playgrounds,
>>>>>> relatively speaking, allow.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> The link of play-as-educating-young-minds to the contemporary
>>>>>> obsession
>>>>>> with
>>>>>> the brain is one I am more familiar with. Below I append the self
>>>>>> promotional advertising associated with a journal that is squarely
>>>>>> focused
>>>>>> on this topic. I think that an immanent critique of this line of
>>>>>> activity
>>>>>> begging to be done from a CHAT perspective.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Is this a topic you would be interested in pursuing on XMCA?
>>>>>> mike
>>>>>> PS-- It looks cold down your way judging from the way World Cup
>>>>>> players
>>>>>> are
>>>>>> bundled up
>>>>>>
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>>>>>> On Tue, Jun 29, 2010 at 11:55 PM, Mary van der Riet
>>>>>> <vanderriet@ukzn.ac.za>wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>  Indirectly related to your forwarded post Mike :  Rebecca Mead on how
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> playground design affects children?s brains:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> http://www.newyorker.com/online/2010/07/05/100705on_audio_mead
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Mary
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Mary van der Riet; School of Psychology; University of KwaZulu-Natal
>>>>>>> Private Bag X01, Scottsville, 3209
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> email: vanderriet@ukzn.ac.za
>>>>>>> tel: 033 260 6163;  fax: 033 2605809
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> >>> mike cole <lchcmike@gmail.com> 06/29/10 18:22 PM >>>
>>>>>>> Thanks Rod. I know that several XMCA folks are interested in this
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>  topic.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>  I think that publication of part of Elkonin's doktorat would be a
>>>>>>> contribution here.
>>>>>>> mike
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> On Tue, Jun 29, 2010 at 1:31 AM, Rod Parker-Rees <
>>>>>>> R.Parker-Rees@plymouth.ac.uk> wrote:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> > Dear all,
>>>>>>> >
>>>>>>> > I thought some of you might be interested in this.
>>>>>>> >
>>>>>>> > With best wishes,
>>>>>>> >
>>>>>>> > Rod
>>>>>>> >
>>>>>>> > -----Original Message-----
>>>>>>> > From: Issues around children's play needs [mailto:
>>>>>>> > PLAY-CHILDREN@JISCMAIL.AC.UK] On Behalf Of Alice Atkinson-Bonasio
>>>>>>> > Sent: 29 June 2010 08:34
>>>>>>> > To: PLAY-CHILDREN@JISCMAIL.AC.UK
>>>>>>> > Subject: Cultural History of Play
>>>>>>> >
>>>>>>> > Dear List Members,
>>>>>>> >
>>>>>>> > I am currently conducting some preliminary research for an edited
>>>>>>> > collection of works addressing the cultural history of Play.  We
>>>>>>> are
>>>>>>> > particularly interested in work that addresses and unpacks the
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>  meaning
>>>>>>
>>>>>>  and
>>>>>>> > cultural importance of particular play phenomena in the past. This
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>  is
>>>>>>
>>>>>>  not
>>>>>>> > about the objects and mechanics of play in and of themselves, but
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>  the
>>>>>>
>>>>>>  way
>>>>>>> > that play as it happened in the past is connected to wider
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>  structures
>>>>>>
>>>>>>  of
>>>>>>> > identity, power, pleasure, work and consumption practices, etc.
>>>>>>> >
>>>>>>> > We are aiming to gather material and a list of contributors for a
>>>>>>> symposium
>>>>>>> > in 2011, with a planned date for publication around the end of
>>>>>>> 2012.
>>>>>>> >
>>>>>>> > If you have some material that might be appropriate or would like
>>>>>>> to
>>>>>>> be
>>>>>>> > involved, please do get in touch as soon as possible. Equally, if
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>  you
>>>>>>
>>>>>>  are
>>>>>>> > unsure that your area of interest fits the above description, drop
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>  me
>>>>>>
>>>>>>  a line
>>>>>>> > and I'll be happy to clarify things.
>>>>>>> >
>>>>>>> > Furthermore, if anybody has any suggestions of other email groups
>>>>>>> which
>>>>>>> > might be relevant to this project, please do let me know.
>>>>>>> >
>>>>>>> > Many thanks in advance for your help and I look forward to your
>>>>>>> responses.
>>>>>>> >
>>>>>>> > All the best,
>>>>>>> >
>>>>>>> > Alice Atkinson-Bonasio
>>>>>>> > Research Assistant
>>>>>>> > "Cultural History of Play" Project
>>>>>>> > University of the West of England
>>>>>>> > Alice.Atkinson-Bonasio@uwe.ac.uk
>>>>>>> > _______________________________________________
>>>>>>> > xmca mailing list
>>>>>>> > xmca@weber.ucsd.edu
>>>>>>> > http://dss.ucsd.edu/mailman/listinfo/xmca
>>>>>>> >
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>
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