The Mediality of Dis/Ability: Producing ‘Disability’ and ‘Ability’ in the Realm of Digital Games

This chapter discusses the medial conditions that produce, reproduce, and fortify the (supposed) difference between ability and disability with regard to digital games. Departing from a broader frame and by grounding his arguments on critical disability studies, discourse theory, and media theory, Ledder analyzes the relation between dis/ability and gaming as an effect of discursive constructions. His understanding of discourse encompasses the social, material and praxeological aspects of any discursive formation. As a heuristic tool, Ledder suggests four interconnected analytical dimensions that not only produce but reinforce hegemonic structures and power relations. Conditions of media production (e.g. the actual workforce, diversity campaigns, game development software, anti-discrimination laws, and funding regulations), game content (gameplay/narrative), game usage, and game form (game infrastructures).