Communities of Risk, Identity, Youth and and Civil Disobedience: Parkour, Skateboarding, Skywalking as Rebellious Play

Abstract

While contemporary literature champions the biological, psychological, and sociological benefits of play, the ability of play to represent civil disobedience is rarely examined. In short, there is limited literature on investigating the question - what does it mean to play as rebellion? This paper outlines the shared characteristics of three forms of play, parkour, skateboarding, and skywalking as rebellious activities. It is suggested that their shared characteristics and relationship to risk, authority, authenticity, and documented civil disobedience are core to the identity of disobedience. Using commercial video games based on real-world risky-play, the research illustrates how this play embraces civil disobedience. Each is about playing against authority. The paper offers an analysis of parkour-focused digital play, skateboarding video games, climbing games and a case study in the Storror parkour team and its streams, highlighting the intersection of literature from sports studies, game studies, social science and architecture within this domain.