Abstract
This is a rallying cry, heralding all following contributions in the collection. It sets out key themes and diverse perspectives on play, drawing on published literature and practice. It nuances the differences between creativity and play, while underscoring the importance of imagination and innovation in pedagogy. It argues for the importance of play in HE to be better understood and connects the benefits of play to examples of play in practice across the disciplines and across countries. It challenges reductive interpretations of play and considers the reasons why resistance to play exists and counters mistrust of play in HE. In arguing for a ‘mixed economy of play’, it offers many examples of play which show that academics are already playing more than is realised.
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James, A. (2019). Making a Case for the Playful University. In: James, A., Nerantzi, C. (eds) The Power of Play in Higher Education. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-95780-7_1
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