Can civil disobedience and resistance be learned? On a basic level, yes, according to the makers of a video game called ”People Power – The Game of Civil Resistance.”
The computer gane People Power focusses on strategy and social change. As the leader of a popular movement, the player fights against strong opponents who control the police, the army, the bureaucracy or the media. The only weapons at a player’s disposal are strategic skill and ingenuity.
People Power is more than just a game. It opens up learning pathways for players whereby they have the opportunity to collaborate with others and acquaint themselves with ways to carry out social change through civil resistance and violence-free methods. Anyone can create their own scenarios and then post them on the scenario page, which is available throughout the community.
For the first edition of the game, all are invited to participate actively in the “open beta” stage of development. After the game, players are prompted to send their comments, suggestions and criticism about the game to the makers, laying bare a format where the players become a part of the managerial team to help improve the game and design a platform that attracts a higher number of players. This element of the game is also supported via the game’s forum where players can swap ideas and scenarios. All-in-all, People Power is an innovative approach that uses gaming to to inform about civil disobedience.
Find out more about the game via the video below:
People Power: The Game of Civil Resistance (Webinar) from ICNC on Vimeo.
