The Paradox of Transgression in Games looks at transgressive games as an aesthetic experience, tackling how players respond to game content that shocks, disturbs, and distresses, and how contemporary video games can evoke intense emotional reactions. The book delves into the commercial success of many controversial videogames: although such games may appear shocking for the observing bystander, playing them is experienced as deeply rewarding for the player. Drawing on qualitative player studies and approaches from media aesthetics theory, the book challenges the perception of games as innocent entertainment, and examines the range of emotional, moral, and intellectual experiences of players. As they explore what players consider transgressive, the authors ask whether there is something about the gameplay situation that works to mitigate the sense of transgression, stressing gameplay as an aesthetic experience. Anchoring the aesthetic game experience both in play studies as well as in aesthetic theory, this book will be an essential resource for scholars and students of game studies, aesthetics, media studies, philosophy of art, and emotions.

Published in 1999. On the basis of leading theoretical work on civil-military relations, the authors elaborate their own model, emphasising the continuum between military autonomy (which has traditionally characterised the military sector in Russia) and integration with civil society (which one might expect would be the result of the political changes having taken place in Russia over the past decade). Three Indicators of this relation are selected; the participation of military personnel in civilian life, and it particular politics; the status of closed cities; conversation of military industry to civilian production. These indicators are investigated at the federal level and at the regional level pertaining to Murmansk oblast' (the Kola Peninsula), which is one the most heavily militarised areas of the world. The study is based on intensive 'on-the-spot' data gathering in Murmansk, including interviews with officers, redundant officers and inhabitants of such closed cities.

The Paradox of Transgression in Games looks at transgressive games as an aesthetic experience, tackling how players respond to game content that shocks, disturbs, and distresses, and how contemporary video games can evoke intense emotional reactions. The book delves into the commercial success of many controversial videogames: although such games may appear shocking for the observing bystander, playing them is experienced as deeply rewarding for the player. Drawing on qualitative player studies and approaches from media aesthetics theory, the book challenges the perception of games as innocent entertainment, and examines the range of emotional, moral, and intellectual experiences of players. As they explore what players consider transgressive, the authors ask whether there is something about the gameplay situation that works to mitigate the sense of transgression, stressing gameplay as an aesthetic experience. Anchoring the aesthetic game experience both in play studies as well as in aesthetic theory, this book will be an essential resource for scholars and students of game studies, aesthetics, media studies, philosophy of art, and emotions.

Published in 1999. On the basis of leading theoretical work on civil-military relations, the authors elaborate their own model, emphasising the continuum between military autonomy (which has traditionally characterised the military sector in Russia) and integration with civil society (which one might expect would be the result of the political changes having taken place in Russia over the past decade). Three Indicators of this relation are selected; the participation of military personnel in civilian life, and it particular politics; the status of closed cities; conversation of military industry to civilian production. These indicators are investigated at the federal level and at the regional level pertaining to Murmansk oblast' (the Kola Peninsula), which is one the most heavily militarised areas of the world. The study is based on intensive 'on-the-spot' data gathering in Murmansk, including interviews with officers, redundant officers and inhabitants of such closed cities.