Educational evaluation demonstrates improved comprehension of balance of power concepts in students, suggesting embodied play effectively communicates abstract geopolitical theories.
The balance of power is one of the most prominent concepts in realist studies of international relations. This paper describes Balance of Power Tug-of-war (BPTW), a physically active/embodied learning method for teaching how polarity and other balance of power concepts relate to systemic stability. BPTW can be deployed as a problem-based learning experience where students design and lead different versions of the game. Evidence from observation, a post-activity survey, and a review of reaction papers indicates that it helps students to better understand and use balance of power concepts. BPTW is a powerful method of conveying key, abstract concepts in an intellectually engaging way.
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Thomas M. Dolan (2026) studied this question.
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