Ludica

The history of games has been one of Fondazione Benetton’s areas of study, research and publishing since 1987. The ‘Ludica’ publishing series was created and it was soon joined by the magazine of the same name, today an international scientific reference for studies in the sector. In 2016 the Gaetano Cozzi Prize for studies on the history of games was established, an evolution of the previous experience of awarding scholarships for degree theses on gaming and games through the ages.

The Journal and the series “Ludica” aims to illustrate contributions of various kinds and multiple perspectives of observation, with a focus on the social and anthropological contexts.

The choice of the centuries covered by the studies, between late ancient times and the beginning of the 20th century, aims to fill a gap in the field of reflection on the history of the game, which has always been directed towards the investigation of classical ludi or contemporary sports.

Fondazione Benetton developed research and in-depth studies based on the conviction that the game also played an important role in social life, with strong repercussions not only in everyday life but also in historical events, consequently deserving some attention that had hitherto been lacking. These studies made it possible to go beyond traditional conventions, restoring in its importance “the seriousness of the game”.

The aim is to investigate the role of playfulness in different contexts, starting from the assumption that the “’game”’ component is irrepressible in historical events and resurfaces even in the most difficult and unforeseen conjunctures.

Ludica Series

La serietà del gioco / The seriousness of ludicity

by Gherardo Ortalli

Storia e attualità del rugby nel contesto veneto e internazionale

edited by Andrea Passerini and Andrea Rinaldo

Il gioco e la novellistica fra Tre e Quattrocento

Matteo Sartori

La serietà del gioco / The seriousness of ludicity

by Gherardo Ortalli

Storia e attualità del rugby nel contesto veneto e internazionale

edited by Andrea Passerini and Andrea Rinaldo

Il gioco e la novellistica fra Tre e Quattrocento

Matteo Sartori

Ludica Journal

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Gaetano Cozzi Prize for studies on the history of games

The Benetton Studi Ricerche Foundation announces two annual awards for young scholars of any nationality for unpublished and original studies on the history of games, pastimes, festive events, sports and leisure activities in general from antiquity up to World War II.