A relatively up-to-date index of posts about simulations and games as well as class exercises and activities; some items appear in more than one category:
Theory
- Bargaining model of war; 25 July 2016
- Beer game: system-imposed constraints on decision making; 24 November 2013
- Collective Action Problem Game, the collective action problem; 18 March 2015
- Democracy vs. Autocracy: The Resource Distribution Game; 14 October 2016
- Doughnut Negotiations: Win-Sets With Sprinkles; 11 June 2018
- Fearon’s rational theory of war: war, bargaining; 21 February 2014
- Hobbes Survive-or-Die Game, original version: IR classical realism; 1 October 2012
- Hobbes Survive-or-Die Game, poker extension: IR power distribution and neoliberal institutionalism; 28 September 2014
- Prisoner’s Dilemma and Prisoner’s Dilemma and Zombies: defection behavior; 13 November 2013
- Risk Tolerance Game: rationality, deterrence, war; 5 August 2019
General
- Amoeba Game; 6 November 2017.
- Confidence and simulations: using simulations as confidence skill-building exercises; 7 March 2017.
- Design your own final and review games: student-led exam/review creation, 1 December 2011 and 8 December 2011
- From Tabletop Games to the Classroom, links to the entire 2017 six-part series at the bottom of the first post
- Groupwork; May 25, 2013
- Picture it!: game on map reading and making; introduction to the college campus, 29 July 2014
- Trivial Pursuit Review Game; 21 February 2014
- Weekly critique; 10 August 2011
- World of Warcraft: using online games to teach politics and economics, 15 November 2012
- ‘Yes, and . . .’: using improv comedy tactics to encourage class participation, 4 February 2013
Economics
- Agrarian Society Card Game: poverty, development; 8 August 2011
- Ayiti – The Cost of Life: poverty, development; 25 February 2013
- Free Rice: making a difference, world hunger, World Food Programme; 8 March 2013
- Global Inequality Game; 29 May 2014
- Global Development/IPE Game: power, negotiation, NGOs; 1 February 2016
- Inequality Monopoly: socioeconomic class, poverty, development; 9 October 2013
- Papers, Please: immigration, poverty; 18 October 2013
- Spent: poverty in the USA; 18 March 2013
- Stars and Triangles: comparative advantage; 25 August 2013
- Squares and Triangles: global trade; 2 April 2018
- Statelessness Game; 11 April 2013
- Third World Farmer: poverty, development; 27 February 2013
- Wealth Inequality Game: inequality, voting rules in international financial institutions; 6 May 2014
- Where Did Your Stuff Come From and variation: scavenger hunt that teaches international trade and globalization; 27 January and 10 February 2017
- World Without Oil: simulation of a global energy crisis; 21 January 2013
American Government
- 20 Minute Legislature and Magic Genie: distributive implications of politics, September 14, 2011 and 30 March 2012
- 20 Minute Interest Groups; 28 September 2011
- Agenda board game; 20 September 2015
- Arrested: constitutional law, civil liberties, criminal procedure; 26 August 2019
- Citizenship Test: first day of class lesson on citizenship; 17 August 2011 and 12 October 2012
- Do I Have a Right?: civil liberties; 5 October 2011
- Fixing Health Care; 9 October 2017
- Framing Exercise: media framing of news; 27 February 2014
- Government in Our Lives: first day of class exercise for American government; 29 August 2013
- I-Civics: balancing the budget, separation of powers, and other simulations; 21 September 2011
- Mission U.S.: US history through games about the Boston Massacre, slavery, and westward expansion; 22 January 2014
- Papers, Please: immigration, public policy, poverty; 18 October 2013
- Parliament Game with the Gray-Tufted Banderwot: legislative behavior, coalitions; 24 April 2017
- Redistricting Game: congressional redistricting, 11 September 2013
- Spent: poverty, state and local government, public policy; 18 March 2013
- Voter Suppression Game; 7 November 2016
Comparative / International / Global
- Against All Odds: refugees; 29 January 2015
- Attack of Dr. X: collective security; 30 January 2014
- Climate Challenge, first and second posts: climate change, environment, public policy; 3 April 2013 and 26 July 2013
- Distribution, decision, and death: resource allocation, meaning of politics, terrorism; 30 March 2012
- Failing Fisheries: sustainable fishing & Tragedy of the Commons; 2 February 2015
- Gerkhania: ethnic politics, democratization, constitutions; 28 April 2014; new, improved version; 17 July 2017.
- Groups vs. Clusters: ethnic heterogeneity, dictatorship, democracy; 21 March 2022.
- ICONS Crisis in North Korea: IR, international security, negotiation, East Asia; 10 April 2015
- Identity politics activity: ethnic politics, cleavages; 3 July 2014
- IR Cards Against Humanity; 27 August 2013
- Model Diplomacy: simulations by the Council on Foreign Relations; 24 April 2017; also discussed 9 May 2018
- Parliament Game with the Gray-Tufted Banderwot: legislative behavior, coalitions; 24 April 2017
- Public Health Simulation; 3 February 2017
- Risk Tolerance Game: rationality, deterrence, war; 5 August 2019
- South China Sea simulation, three-part series in 2017: here, here, and here
- Statecraft, first and most recent posts: online simulation for teaching international relations; 24 November 2011 and 21 January 2015
- Stop Disasters: natural disaster preparation and response; 2 August 2012
- Syrian Journey: Choose your own escape route: refugees, war and conflict; 1 April 2015
- Tragedy of the Bunnies: tragedy of the commons; 2 February 2015
- Walking Dead: ethics of war; 11 March 2013
Game Design, Typology, and Mechanics
- From tabletop games to the classroom, parts 1-6: important game design considerations; 5 February 2017.
- Simulations for large classes: problematizing unitary actors; 25 January 2015
- Multiple and Parallel Worlds: playing games in large classes, 16 March 2015
- Total physical response (TPR); 19 August 2013
- Typology of gameplay mechanisms; 19 January 2015
Methods
- The Best X in Town: semester-long methods project on measurement, survey design, coding, and descriptive statistics
- Evaluating Sources Exercise; 25 July 2012
- Iceland Correlation: correlation v. causation; 3 December 2013
- Sherlock: identifying the core of the literature; 26 January 2012
- Teaching about Variables with Playing Cards; 23 February 2017
- Whodunnit, and Part 2: using murder mysteries to teach methods; 3 July 2013 and 26 November 2013
- Zendo/Playing with Blocks: critical thinking, hypothesis testing, data analysis; 1 August 2011 and 24 February 2016.
Online Games
- 20 Minute Interest Groups; 28 September 2011
- Against All Odds: refugees; 29 January 2015
- Ayiti – The Cost of Life: poverty, development; 25 February 2013
- Climate Challenge, first and second posts: climate change, environment, public policy; 3 April 2013 and 26 July 2013
- Do I Have a Right?: civil liberties; 5 October 2011
- Failing Fisheries: sustainable fishing & Tragedy of the Commons; 2 February 2015
- Framing Exercise: media framing of news, 27 February 2014
- Free Rice: making a difference, world hunger, World Food Programme; 8 March 2013
- I-Civics: balancing the budget, separation of powers, and other simulations; 21 September 2011
- Mission U.S.: US history through games about the Boston Massacre, slavery, and westward expansion; 22 January 2014
- Papers, Please: immigration, public policy, poverty; 18 October 2013
- Redistricting Game: congressional redistricting; 11 September 2013
- Spent: poverty, state and local government, public policy; 18 March 2013
- Statecraft, first and most recent posts: online simulation for teaching international relations; 24 November 2011 and 21 January 2015
- Stop Disasters: natural disaster preparation and response; 2 August 2012
- Third World Farmer: poverty, development; 27 February 2013
- Tragedy of the Bunnies: tragedy of the commons; 2 February 2015
- World Without Oil: simulation of a global energy crisis; 21 January 2013
Thank you for sharing such a valuable list. Very appreciated!
I am a new instructor and this is superhelpful for sourcing and inspiring interactive lessons on core concepts. Thank you
check out http://www.politicalsciencegames.com for more free games.
I am using the theme of Power andthe individual and collective examples connected to it- in my world History class-
You have so many simulations- can you advise me on what 2-3 sims would reflect any aspect of Power the best and most directly.
I hope that makes sense- especially as I leave the interpretation of Power generally p to you.
Chip
A few ideas:
Stars & Triangles can be modified to focus on powerful states determining the rules of the game so that they are inherently advantaged in the system (as happens when some teams have templates for mass production and other don’t).
The Global Development/IPE exercise has similarities to the above.
I recommend starting with the Hobbes game though — both the original version and the extensions. They are easy to run in the classroom.