Kasyoka Mwanzia

This project is an ethnographic study of video gaming as a pathway to economic advancement and social mobility among Kenyan youth. Against the backdrop of Kenya’s expanding youth population, shrinking economic opportunities, and the government’s techno-utopian rhetoric, this research explores how young people navigate precarity through aspirational video game play and development. Focusing on the material and socio-economic contexts of Kenyan gamers, developers, and content creators, this dissertation examines how they leverage play to create economic and social value. Bringing together anthropology, science and technology studies, and Black game studies, “Gaming Futures” uses digital methods to engage with youth participants, culminating in a public-facing, interactive, multimodal site for sharing findings.