معرفی
Joost Raessens is Professor of Media Theory at Utrecht University's Faculty of Humanities, Department of Media and Culture Studies, where he leads research in Media and Performance Studies. He coordinates the Horizon Europe-funded project STRATEGIES: Sustainable transition for Europe's game industries (2024-2028), focusing on how games, AI, and extended reality impact the climate crisis.
His research spans several interconnected areas focused on the intersection of digital media, gaming, and environmental sustainability. Raessens explores how immersive experiences like Games and XR for Change contribute to advancing UN Sustainable Development Goals through his Green Media Studies framework. His work examines the environmental impact of the gaming industry while investigating how games can foster ecological citizenship and climate awareness. He has pioneered research on "ecogames" - games designed to engage players with climate crisis issues through playful perspectives.
Raessens' recent publications reveal a clear trend toward examining gaming's dual role in the climate crisis - as both a contributor to environmental problems and a potential solution. His work analyzes how games like Collapsus, SpaceBuzz, and Symbiosis create meaningful engagement with ecological issues, while also addressing the carbon footprint of the gaming industry itself. This research sits at the intersection of game studies, environmental humanities, and digital media theory.
His notable recognition includes:
- Incentive for the development of an International Master Degree Game Studies (2011)
Raessens actively supervises multiple PhD projects including 'The becoming-playful of warfare in the Netherlands' (2021-2025) and 'Experiencing the past: Bridging art, history, and young people's media environment through multisensory XR engagement' (2022-2026). He leads significant research initiatives including the NWO-funded project on "Long-term consumer and community empowerment in energy applications through inclusive Game design, Artificial Intelligence and system Modelling" (2022-2026) and previously directed the Utrecht University Graduate Programme "Game Research" (2015-2021).
He co-founded and directed the Utrecht Center for Game Research (2014-2024), creating a hub for interdisciplinary game studies that connected humanities scholars with computer scientists. This center facilitated numerous collaborative projects examining the societal impact of games, from persuasive gaming to citizen science applications.
