Frans Mäyrä
Encyclopedia
Frans Mäyrä is a professor of hypermedia
, especially digital culture and game studies
in the University of Tampere
, Finland
. His background is in comparative literature
and the arts
studies, and he has worked in subjects related particularly to fantasy
, science fiction
, horror fiction
, video games and digital culture. He served as the founding president of DiGRA
(Digital Games Research Association) and heads the Games Research Lab in Tampere.
Hypermedia
Hypermedia is a computer-based information retrieval system that enables a user to gain or provide access to texts, audio and video recordings, photographs and computer graphics related to a particular subject.Hypermedia is a term created by Ted Nelson....
, especially digital culture and game studies
Game studies
Game studies or the new modern term "gaming theory" is the discipline of studying games, their design, players, and their role in society and culture more broadly...
in the University of Tampere
University of Tampere
The University of Tampere is a university in Tampere, Finland. It has 15,400 degree students and 2,100 employees. It was originally founded in 1925 in Helsinki as a Civic College , and from 1930 onwards it was known as a School of Social Sciences...
, Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
. His background is in comparative literature
Comparative literature
Comparative literature is an academic field dealing with the literature of two or more different linguistic, cultural or national groups...
and the arts
The arts
The arts are a vast subdivision of culture, composed of many creative endeavors and disciplines. It is a broader term than "art", which as a description of a field usually means only the visual arts. The arts encompass visual arts, literary arts and the performing arts – music, theatre, dance and...
studies, and he has worked in subjects related particularly to fantasy
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
, science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
, horror fiction
Horror fiction
Horror fiction also Horror fantasy is a philosophy of literature, which is intended to, or has the capacity to frighten its readers, inducing feelings of horror and terror. It creates an eerie atmosphere. Horror can be either supernatural or non-supernatural...
, video games and digital culture. He served as the founding president of DiGRA
DiGRA
DiGRA is a non-profit, international association of academics and practitioners whose work focuses on digital games and associated activities. DiGRA was formally established in 2003 and continues to operate as a non-profit registered in Finland...
(Digital Games Research Association) and heads the Games Research Lab in Tampere.