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01.07.2026
Public Keynote by Dr. Gaspard Pelurson: “Forget the Interface: Pedagogy’s Aesthetics, Presence and Human Connection”
On Friday, July 10 (Audimax, University of Tübingen)
On Friday, July 10, we warmly invite you to join us for the keynote lecture “Forget the Interface: Pedagogy’s Aesthetics, Presence and Human Connection” by media scholar Dr. Gaspard Pelurson (King’s College London). The event will take place from 10:00–11:15 a.m. in the Audimax of the University of Tübingen. Please find the abstract of the talk below for a preview of the presentation:
"This keynote speech begins by recognising that video games are now fully grounded as essential aesthetic and cultural objects. While video game aesthetics have pervaded global media and entered the stream of neoliberal consumption, they cannot be dismissed as mere trends. Instead, they must be understood as era-defining markers of visual and experiential culture for players and observers alike.
While scholars frequently examine the aesthetics of play and gameplay experience, we rarely consider how these aesthetics manifest within physical spaces, particularly the classroom. Pedagogical spaces are often designed for purely practical purposes, overlooking their visual and affective dimensions. Drawing on international teaching experiences, this talk argues that the aesthetic feeling of a learning space deserves serious critical attention. By shifting our focus from high-intensity excitement to a “cozy,” safe, and authentic environment, we can prioritize genuine human connection over rigid institutional demands.
Building on Parsayi and Atkinson’s (2021) definition of video game “presence,” this presentation explores how ludic environments help students feel genuinely present and included. Ultimately, in an era where AI tools are increasingly ubiquitous for both instructors and students, playing and discussing video games together in a physical space emerges as one of the few remaining strategies that explicitly maximises human connection and protects the core of authentic education."
The keynote is organised by the International Center for Ethics in the Sciences and Humanities (IZEW) at the University of Tübingen and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill as part of the international workshop “Playful Media and Sustainable Futures.” The event is supported by Seed Funding for Collaborative Projects between the two partner universities.
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