Feeling inspired by the Summer Institute? Looking for new games to include in your classes this fall? Our game authors have been hard at work this spring, and we have a veritable cornucopia of releases and updates for you.
New Releases
The Schilling Revolt: Popular Unrest and Religious Change in Augsburg, 1524
Emily Gray’s latest publication is a microgame set during the era of the German Peasants’ War in Augsburg, Germany. Students take on the roles of members of the Augsburg City Council as they are confronted with an angry mob demanding religious, social and economic reform. Members of the council must find a way to either placate or intimidate the mob if they want to leave the City Hall unharmed. This game can be used as a stand-alone game or as a precursor to Augsburg 1530. From Dave Harris: Having used it with my own students in that latter role, it was a lot of fun to give them an early introduction to their character and allow them to carry an advantage forward to the main game if they accomplished their character’s secret objective.
The Oversight Board: Content Moderation vs. Political Speech on Social Media
Michael Bossetta and John Giebfried bring us an interdisciplinary microgame set in the present day, where students take on the role of members of the Meta Oversight Board, deciding what speech to allow on the digital commons. The game has two distinct scenarios:, one focused on controversial speech by politicians in Cambodia and Pakistan, the other on posts by protestors in Colombia and Iran. Instructors can use either of these scenarios separately or together, in a game that asks urgent global questions around freedom of speech, the fight for rights, and the future of democracy itself.
Congress of Vienna: The Congress of Vienna and the Shape of Europe, 1814-1815
Terry Breese and Phillip Garland bring us a full-length game set during the pivotal months of late 1814 and early 1815, during which European politicians and diplomats sought to restore a continent after over two decades of war and revolution. Students take on the roles of representatives of European powers, great and small, salonnieres, advocates, and artists. Players engage in debates over what a post-Napoleonic Europe should look like, discussing themes of legitimacy, nationalism, and the balance of power all in a effort to forge a lasting peace.
Updates
Politics, Religion, and the Birth of the Public Sphere: England, 1685-1688
Joseph Sramek has released a third major revision of his modular masterpiece, based on feedback and collaboration with members of the Reacting community. The biggest revision yet, this version of the game includes 30 new characters! The new character list allows for expanded representation of women, more outsider voices, and more cultural and literary figures. This overhaul promises a game that is fresh, with more expansive possibilities than ever. Even if you have used it before, check this updated game out again this fall!
Hands Off Africa! Pan-Africanism, Decolonization, and the All African People's Conference, 1958
Alexander Rolnick and Eric Covey bring us general updates towards on a game that asks students to confront the tough issues African states faced amid efforts at dDecolonization in the mid-20th century. Should the nation-state remain the paramount political unit? If the colonizers refuse to cede power, what strategies and tactics should Africans use to win their independence? Is violence ever justified? Delegates at the 1958 Conference in Accra had to answer all of these questions and more.
More Updates
The following games featured at the Summer Institute all received updates in the lead-up to the event! If you played them at the Summer Institute and want to check them out for use in your own classroom, or are curious about what your colleagues got up to in New York, check out any of the following games:
Ashoka: Becoming the Dharma King
by J. Noel Hubler
Radical Reconstruction in New Orleans, 1868-1876
by Nicholas Proctor
Freedom and Censorship: The Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798-1800
by Bill Offutt
Cholera! At the Pump: Contagionism, Miasma Theory, and Sanitation, London 1854
by Chad Curtis and Nicholas Proctor
Conclave 1492: The Election of a Renaissance Pope
by William Keene Thompson
Finally, we have two level 2 games that were both played at the Summer Institute this year. Pages are up for them if you want to learn more about them, but files are not available yet. We do anticipate having them available soon though, so keep your eyes open for the formal announcement!
The Second Spanish Republic, 1931-1939
By Ethan Besser Fredrick
A ”Virtuous Woman”? The Abolition of Sati in India 1829
By Judy Walden
A big thank you to all the game authors who worked so hard to update/publish their games, and happy reacting!
