Elon professor publishes fifth book on sociology of play
For many people, the word "play" might incite visions of sports, video games or board games. For Thomas Henricks, Elon University professor of sociology and anthropology, the concept of play has been at the center of his research for years, most recently resulting in his fourth and fifth published books, "Play and the Human Condition," and "The Handbook of the Study of Play." In the book "Play and the Human Condition," which was released in the spring, Henricks identified conditions that instigate playful behavior and activities. Henricks served as co-editor to “The Handbook of the Study of Play,” a compilation of essays that was also released this past spring. According to Henricks, the idea of play is hard to define because it is an expression that touches different aspects of what it means to be human; in the end it goes deeper than kicking a ball or shooting hoops. “Play is not simply sports and games,” Henricks said.
