Ossian Nordgren

My research focuses on the relationship between the digital, social, and ecological. Over the course of my PhD, I will be part of the "Game on? Identifying Environmentally Sustainable Trajectories for Video Games", which aims to holistically map gaming in Sweden and project possible sustainable futures for the practice.

Previously i have studied the future imaginaries of Vietnamese blockchain professionals and the interrelationship between play and labor amongst Swedish Twtich.tv Streamers.

My academic background is rooted in Social Anthropology, having earned both my BSC and MA degrees from Stockholm University. However, my intellectual curiosity has always drawn me towards interdisciplinary endeavors, particularly within the realm of digital studies. As a doctoral candidate in the department, I am excited to be a part of the research project, 'Game on? Identifying Environmentally Sustainable Trajectories for Video Games,' funded by the Swedish Energy Agency.

In this endeavor, I will collaborate with supervisors, Mike Hazas and Per Fors, alongside other members of the project team from The Royal Institute of Technology (KTH), Bristol University, and industry partners from the Swedish Gaming sector, including Dataspelsbranschen. Our shared mission is to comprehensively chart the landscape of Swedish gaming and project pathways for sustainable futures. My role within the research team will involve the application of a diverse array of ethnographic methods across various facets of Swedish gaming. This will encompass a wide spectrum of gamers, from casual mobile players to hardcore 'power-gamers,' digital content creators in the gaming sphere, industry advocates, indie and corporate game developers, gaming executives, and beyond. This extensive scope is designed to provide a holistic understanding of the ecological impact of gaming in Sweden within its broader context(s).

Central to my research interests are critical and engaged explorations of the digital realm, economic and ecological anthropology, and the examination of future imaginaries. Previously, I conducted research on how Vietnamese blockchain professionals envision, enact, and negotiate the future. This study was grounded in multi-modal ethnographic fieldwork conducted in Hanoi and Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City), as well as digital ethnography. Additionally, I delved into the interplay between play and labor among Swedish video-game live streamers on Twitch.Tv. In this project, I interviewed streamers and observed their live broadcasts, even taking on the role of a streamer myself to gain firsthand experience and insight into the daily realities of streaming and labor under the platform economy.

Ultimately, my passion for academic scholarship is rooted in a commitment to expanding the imaginative horizons of contemporary societies and ecologies in the global north. I firmly believe that in order to effectively address the global challenges that lie ahead, we must not confine ourselves to the existing, conventional paradigms of knowledge, economics, politics, ontologies, and organization. Instead, we must earnestly explore, question, and subsequently implement new and alternative modes of coexistence founded on principles of care, community, and interconnectedness with the more-than-human.