Play and Politics

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Abstract
Political scientists have much to learn from the biology of play. The most important political activities of democracy, like discussion and debate, gathering new information, and even voting and elections, are perhaps best understood as forms of play. Play has both intrinsic attraction and a developmental function (i.e., it promotes skill acquisition). As such, democratic political activity can be conceived of as social and imaginative explorative play. This robust understanding of democracy and political behavior aligns with the American pragmatist John Dewey's ( 1916 Dewey , John. 1916 . Democracy and Education . New York , NY : The Macmillan Company . [Google Scholar] ) conception of democracy as a “mode of associated living, of conjoint communicated experience.” In this article, I detail how the “politics as play” analogy can help enhance the study and pedagogy of political science.