Using Game of Thrones to Teach International Relations

ABSTRACT

Despite the known benefits of long-term, game-based simulations they remain underutilized in Political Science classrooms. Simulations used are typically designed to reinforce a concept and are short-lived, lasting one or two class sessions; rarely are entire courses designed around a single simulation. Creating real-world conditions in which students operate often requires the development of distinct cultures and shared experiences that only long-term interactions can generate. These long-term interactions create a community where the past interactions of players matter when making decisions about future action. Long-term role-playing also gives students a forum to fully immerse themselves in the material resulting in deeper content comprehension. This article presents a framework for using a long-term, game-based simulation based on the popular television show Game of Thrones. The simulation uses an active learning approach to help students understand a variety of topics related to International Relations and related fields. The article concludes with a discussion on how the simulation can be modified to fit a variety of non-Political Science courses as well as provides the framework for an experimental design to test the effectiveness of the simulation.

KEYWORDS:

• Game of thrones
• international relations
• role playing
• simulations

Notes

For templates and other material to set up the simulation visit [www.lauradyoungphd.com].

Many maps of the Game of Thrones territories are available online for download. They range from minimalist to extremely detailed; including an interactive GoogleMap view.

See Appendix B for sample starting figures.

The instructor is responsible for sharing intelligence with countries who have maesters. Instructors receive the intelligence from students since all actions in the game must go through the instructor. This is facilitating by requiring students to carbon copy the instructor on all emails or provide an update via email about any in-person conversations that take place between countries.

Instructors control natural or industrial disasters, like oil spills. This is done by posting a message to the newsfeed, instructing the impacted countries what happened and how it effects their resources and country. For example, an oil spill may result in a loss of water units for the country that owns the oil and any country next to the country where the oil spill originated.

Requirements for obtaining nuclear weapons/dragon are high to help replicate real world conditions regarding developing nuclear weapons. It also helps minimize all countries from owning nuclear weapons early in the game.

See Table 2 for specific rules regarding war with indigenous groups.

In Political Negotiation, for example, a dispute occurred between two countries regarding uninhabited territory both claimed. Since the class was covering mediation rules and procedures, mediation was scheduled between the parties to settle the dispute in the hopes of avoiding war. All students prepared a comprehensive mediation statement which was presented to one student selected as the mediator. Students not participating in the mediation served as a panel of experts who helped advise the mediator regarding dispute resolution and the settlement agreement. Students were graded on their participation in the mediation, as well as on their ability to follow the parameters for appropriate political behavior and negotiation techniques as set forth in their textbook and other academic readings.

Specifically, students were required to provide examples from the simulation that highlighted concepts like realism, liberalism, or constructivism to assess their understanding of the material.

The simulation is also applicable to classes that focus on domestic decision-making in the United States, like American Government or global environmental policy. For American Government, we turn countries into states and add a “federal” government located in one of the territories. Instead of the leader of a country, most players are governors, but one is elected President while others play the role of Congressmen. Each state has its own resources and domestic concerns, and all states much try and work together to pass laws that benefit everyone. Global environmental policy uses the same format as the original simulation, but environmental crises and the negotiation of international environmental treaties are more prominent.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Laura D. Young

Laura D. Young is an Assistant Professor of Political Science at Georgia Gwinnett College. She received her PhD in Political Science from Purdue University with a concentration in International Relations, Comparative Politics, and Political Behavior and Institutions. Her research interests focus on security studies, specifically issues related to environmental crises and resource scarcity and the resulting impact of these events on state development.

Ñusta Carranza Ko

Ñusta Carranza Ko is an Assistant Professor of Political Science in the Department of History, Political Science, and Geography at Ohio Northern University. She received her PhD from Purdue University and holds Master’s and Bachelor’s degrees from New York University, University of Windsor, and McGill University, respectively. Her research interests include cross-regional research on transitional justice processes in Latin America and East Asia, including questions of indigenous peoples’ rights, and the relationship of Asian migration and culture on identity change in Peru.

Michael Perrin

Michael Perrin is a Peace Corps Volunteer in Rwanda focusing on environmental education, gender equity, and English. He received his Master’s Degree from Purdue University in International Relations and Environmental Policy. He also received his Bachelor’s Degree from Purdue University in Political Science. His research interests include the effectiveness and formation of international environmental policy and liberalism in the new world order.