Tom Legierse (he/him) is a PhD Research Fellow in the Understanding Male Gamers (UMG) project at the Department of Information Sciences and Media Studies. His research ethnographically explores men’s behavior and experience in videogames. Specifically, his aim is to understand how men make sense of themselves as gamers and men; how they play a variety of games in a variety of ways; and how they anticipate the future for men in games and society at large. The overall goal for this research is to rethink how men can be part of inclusive futures. 

Tom is trained as a cultural anthropologist with a specialization in gender and the digital. He obtained both a BSc and an MSc in Cultural Anthropology and Development Sociology from Leiden University, the Netherlands. His studies included work on identity construction in videogames, and gendered issues in (professional) competitive gaming. Tom’s current ethnographic project is an extension of this work. It serves as a continued commitment to creating more inclusive gaming spaces.

Changing the Game: Understanding Masculinity and Rethinking Inclusivity in Games

This research project ethnographically explores men’s behavior and experience in videogames. Specifically, his aim is to understand how men make sense of themselves as gamers and men; how they play a variety of games in a variety of ways; and how they anticipate the future for men in games and society at large. The overall goal for this research is to rethink how men can be part of inclusive futures.

Methodologically this research project is built on ethnographic tools, including participant observation, interviews and focus groups. Using these tools, I will focus on what men do and what they experience. I will ‘follow the people’ as they move from one context to the other, positioning themselves and constantly adapting to change. Doing so will allow for a more complicated and nuanced understanding of what it means to be a man in gaming spaces. We need this, as we currently fail to theorize what positive role there could be for men in moving toward equitable and inclusive gaming spaces.

Changing the Game will be carried out by Tom Legierse (he/him) who is a PhD Research Fellow in the Understanding Masculinity in Games project. Tom is trained as a cultural anthropologist with a specialization in gender and the digital. He obtained both a BSc and an MSc in Cultural Anthropology and Development Sociology from Leiden University, the Netherlands. His studies included work on identity construction in videogames, and gendered issues in (professional) competitive gaming. Changing the Game is an extension of this work.