Using games from different historical periods, this talk considers how colonial myths are at play in representation, theme, goals and mechanics.
Details
Timing:
Wed 4:00 PM - Wed 5:00 PM
Location:
JW
/ Room 103
Long Description:
Board games have long held socio-cultural importance, and only in recent years has the community begun to unpack what were once considered neutral or “innocent” playthings. Increasingly, our innocent playthings reveal a darker side of play where a tendency towards colonial rationales, nationalistic fervor, and white supremacism have passed through the design of games. Revealing years of research that culminated in the 2023 book Playing Oppression, his talk will show how games have long acted as a form of enculturation—the process by which people learn the traditional dynamics, behaviors, worldviews, and values of a given society. Covering a four hundred year span, this talk will shed light on how enculturation in the West has operated in board games through representation, theme, mechanics, player positioning, and game goals, and will offer hopeful strategies on ways to avoid them.
Event Website:
Organizing Group:
GM Names:
Trade Day
Event Type:
Game System:
N/A
Rules Edition:
N/A
# Players:
4 - 80 players
Age Required:
Everyone (6+)
Experience Required:
None (You've never played before - rules will be taught)
Materials Provided?:
No
Tournament?:
No
Sessions Hide unavailable sessions
Wednesday
-
This event
4:00 PM - 5:00 PM
62 tickets available