TY - JOUR

T1 - Role-Playing Games in Natural Resource Management and Research. Lessons Learned from Theory and Practice

AU - Wesselow, Maren

AU - Stoll-Kleemann, Susanne

N1 - Publisher Copyright: The information, practices and views in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG). © 2018 The Authors. The Geographical Journal published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Royal Geographical Society (with the Institute of British Geographers).

PY - 2018/9

Y1 - 2018/9

N2 - Participatory games are valued by many researchers as innovative tools to facilitate science-practice communication in transdisciplinary research processes. This article explores the diverse potentials of role-playing games (RPGs) in natural resource research and management. Based on a literature review, we discuss different types of game design, the stakeholder groups involved, and outcomes that may be achieved by this method. Our results display how game elements, rationales and rules can be adapted in accordance with the conveners’ intentions, and outline the roles that scientists, land users, institutional actors, and technicians assume in the RPG. We argue that RPGs have the potential to serve scientific knowledge production while also facilitating collective decision-making, conflict mediation, and joint learning. A case study from Madagascar illustrates that land users can easily relate RPGs to their real lives. The participants in this case study reflected on their livelihood systems, collectively analysed problems, and discussed possible solutions. Finally, we critically discuss the validity and legitimacy of the research results, and measures to avoid bias and manipulation.

AB - Participatory games are valued by many researchers as innovative tools to facilitate science-practice communication in transdisciplinary research processes. This article explores the diverse potentials of role-playing games (RPGs) in natural resource research and management. Based on a literature review, we discuss different types of game design, the stakeholder groups involved, and outcomes that may be achieved by this method. Our results display how game elements, rationales and rules can be adapted in accordance with the conveners’ intentions, and outline the roles that scientists, land users, institutional actors, and technicians assume in the RPG. We argue that RPGs have the potential to serve scientific knowledge production while also facilitating collective decision-making, conflict mediation, and joint learning. A case study from Madagascar illustrates that land users can easily relate RPGs to their real lives. The participants in this case study reflected on their livelihood systems, collectively analysed problems, and discussed possible solutions. Finally, we critically discuss the validity and legitimacy of the research results, and measures to avoid bias and manipulation.

KW - game design

KW - Madagascar

KW - natural resource management

KW - participatory methods

KW - role-playing games

KW - stakeholders

KW - Environmental planning

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85044428866&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1111/geoj.12248

DO - 10.1111/geoj.12248

M3 - Journal articles

VL - 184

SP - 298

EP - 309

JO - Geographical Journal

JF - Geographical Journal

SN - 0016-7398

IS - 3

ER -