Play in the Academy

Play is increasingly recognised as a powerful tool for thinking differently, fostering collaboration, sparking joy, and supporting wellbeing (British Council, 2021; Camic, 2008; Dodgson, 2016; Kurt et al, 2010; Teksoz et al, 2017). Yet, in many professional environments—particularly large, hierarchical, and risk-averse organisations like universities— play is often undervalued. These environments may discourage experimentation and stifle innovation (Laker, 2024; Hazelzet et al., 2022). Play can counteract these patterns by inviting curiosity, lowering stakes, or opening space for new collaborations. Play is not antithetical to work, but it helps us work differently.

This exploratory research project uses universities as sites to investigate how play already operates—or could operate—within multilayered organisations. How do people incorporate play in visible, subtle, or even subversive ways in their professional roles?

Using participatory research methods, the project involves four strands: We will crowdsource examples of playful practice (S1), explore meanings and contributions of play in hands-on “Playshops” with university staff (S2), use these data to develop playful and actionable outputs (S3), and begin network-building around this topic (S4) in preparation for future work.