ABSTRACT
This chapter unpacks the development of philosophical practice through our involvement as “conference ethnographers” in the fifth Philosophy at Play conference. It is both an ethnographic engagement with the conference, its content and location and also a philosophical exploration of questions raised by both this conference and the wider philosophy at play project. As part of our dialogues, we reflect on the tensions between play as a force for democracy and as a site of democratic practice. As part of this, the chapter considers the antagonisms of academic conferencing, instrumental scholarly praxis (including the production of a set of academic papers) and the place of play(fulness) in creating the space necessary for critical insight and practice.
