P. Parlebas, M. Boutin, Jeux sportifs, jeux de société et classifications, Harmattan Édition, 2022

The activities classically known as «games» are very popular in all parts of the world. Some of them involve motor first foremost performance (sports games) and others cognitive activity (as
in many board games). Can we detect any overall coherence in this proliferation of games? Can we identify operational characteristics that have endowed these games with psychological or cultural meanings? The most important classifications that have emerged in recent centuries are presented here.
One of the problems posed by all games is the place given to the pleasure of living together, to the relationship between cooperation and opposition. A better knowledge of play mechanisms will help to better understand in a lucid and nonideological way this place. What is and what will be the choice of our societies on this subject?
Pierre Parlebas is a Doctor of State, Professor Emeritus of Sociology. Honorary Dean of the Faculty of Human and Social Sciences - Sorbonne - Paris V and Doctor Honoris Causa of the University of Lérida and of the University of Campinas.
Michel Boutin is an independent researcher in the field of board games.

2022_Parlebas_et_Boutin_Jeux_sportifs_jeux_de_socit_et_classifications_Promotion_EN.pdf