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DiGRAA Code of Conduct

Purpose 

The Digital Games Research Association of Australia (DiGRAA) is committed to supporting diversity and inclusivity in our community and more broadly in the field of game studies and beyond. We believe that research, dialogue and community thrive in spaces where people feel safe, respected and valued. This Code of Conduct exists to help cultivate such a space across our conferences, on our Discord server, or in any other DiGRAA-affiliated setting. 

DiGRAA events and platforms are professional spaces. This Code of Conduct is not intended to provide an exhaustive list of every scenario. Instead, it represents a broad framework to guide our community towards behaviours that align with our values, and away from conduct that may cause harm or diminish the safety, integrity or professionality of our community. This code of conduct aligns with the disciplinary procedures outlined at Part 3: Divisions 2 and 3 of the DiGRAA Constitution. 

Membership of and participation within DiGRAA spaces requires individuals to:

  • Abide by the DiGRAA Code of Conduct
  • Abide by any additional requirements set by the DiGRAA Board or the Local Organising Committee of a DiGRAA conference or event
  • Acknowledge that DiGRAA may take disciplinary action for breaches of the Code.

Values

These principles underpin the expected conduct of anyone engaging in DiGRAA events or spaces. DiGRAA demonstrates its commitment to these values.

  • Respect: We recognise the immense value of diverse identities, lived experiences, and academic contributions. We commit to treating each other with respect and dignity, and engaging with others in good faith.
  • Inclusivity: We create spaces where everyone feels welcome, regardless of their identity or ability. We particularly value the contributions of junior scholars, and those whose voices have historically been excluded or marginalised. 
  • Integrity: We uphold honesty and care in how we conduct ourselves as researchers, colleagues and community members. This includes respecting the labour of others, citing generously, taking responsibility for our words and actions, and being receptive to feedback. 

How to Be a Good Community Member

Community members are encouraged to: 

  • Be friendly and welcoming: greet new members and actively include all attendees in social gatherings (such as post-conference dinners and social events), particularly those for whom English is not a first-language and junior scholars.
  • Be constructive: offer feedback or critique that is thoughtful and specific, and focused on ideas, not people. Ask questions that build understanding. Keep tone respectful, even in disagreement. 
  • Be considerate of others: assume positive intent – give others the benefit of the doubt, especially across differences in culture, communication style or language. Step back if you are dominating a conversation, and do your best to invite others in. 
  • Respect boundaries: ask for consent before taking photos, screenshots or recording others, online or in person. Honour people’s stated pronouns, names and communication preferences. Recognise when someone may not want to engage, and give them space without pressure or judgment.

Examples of unacceptable behaviour in person and online includes, but is not limited to:

  • Harassment or discrimination of any kind based on gender, sexuality, race, ability, physical appearance, class, religion, language, age, socio-economic status, or anything else.
  • Demeaning or devaluing comments about a person’s identity, appearance or work. 
  • Intimidation, threats, bullying, stalking, or sustained disruption of talks/events. 
  • Unwelcome or non-consensual sexual attention or physical contact. 
  • Ignoring requests to stop any of the above behaviours.
  • Advocating for, or encouraging, any of the above behaviours.

We acknowledge that academia blurs the personal and professional in sometimes complex ways. If a person’s past behaviour, whether within or outside DiGRAA spaces, makes you feel uncomfortable or unsafe at a DiGRAA event, the DiGRAA Board and local organising committee will do our best to help you feel safe and comfortable, and may take action to protect the safety and integrity of the community.

Reporting 

If you experience or witness a breach of this Code of Conduct, we encourage you to contact any of:

  • The current DiGRAA president 
  • Any Board member you feel comfortable speaking with
  • The DiGRAA Discord server moderators
  • The local organising committee or conference volunteers

Reports may be made in writing or verbally. 

We understand that reporting can be difficult. You may report anonymously if you prefer, however, this may limit our ability to follow up with the breach effectively. DiGRAA will do our best to respect requests for confidentiality while taking the necessary steps to ensure community safety. The Board, local conference organising committee, and Discord moderators will only be told the minimum necessary information to respond and support enforcement.

Breaches of the Code of Conduct / Remediation

DiGRAA reserves the right to take actions it deems appropriate in response to violations of this Code, including but not limited to:

  • De-escalation to reduce immediate harm if possible
  • A verbal or written warning
  • A request for an apology, public or private
  • Temporary or permanent removal from DiGRAA events, platforms, or the DiGRAA Discord server, including revoking membership
  • Monitoring of future participation at DiGRAA events and in the DiGRAA Discord server 
  • Escalation to law enforcement or other appropriate authorities.

This action may be taken immediately or in the future. All reports will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis and DiGRAA retains sole discretion in how these matters are handled.

All involved parties have the right to appeal disciplinary actions made by DiGRAA by contacting the DiGRAA Secretary in writing no more than 48 hours after a decision is made (as outlined at Section 23 in the Constitution). 

Acknowledgments 

This Code of Conduct has been developed from exemplar codes of Freeplay, Melbourne Megagames, Institute of Community Directors Australia, Django, and the Geek Feminism Wiki.

If you have any concerns or questions about this Code of Conduct, please reach out to the current DiGRAA president. 

Version history: 
DiGRAA Code of Conduct V1, updated 02/07/2025
DiGRAA23 Version 1, updated 19/01/2023 
DiGRAA Discord Version 1, updated 03/09/2020
DiGRAA19 Version 1, updated 02/11/2019 

DiGRA Australia

DiGRAA is the Australian and New Zealand chapter of the international Digital Games Research Association (digra.org).

Talks from our annual conference are on the DiGRAA YouTube channel.

Thank you to our institutional members for their ongoing support

Sydney Games and Play Lab | The University of Sydney

School of Social Sciences, Media, Film and Education | Swinburne University

School of Computing | Macquarie University

Digital Media Research Centre | Queensland University of Technology

HCI Games & Play & School of Culture and Communications | University of Melbourne

Digital Design (School of Design) | RMIT University

Games Research Lab | Flinders University

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