Many citizens are unfamiliar with how polarisation works and lack insight into the social mechanisms that drive it. To make these processes visible and tangible, we developed an educational role-playing game that allows participants to experience the dynamics of polarisation firsthand. All you need is some paper and paperclips, 10 to 30 participants and around an hour of your time. Grounded in agent-based modeling, the game invites participants to step into the roles of citizens in the fictional city of Bridgestone, where they must deliberate a controversial public issue. As participants weigh arguments and take positions, they observe how quickly groups form and divisions deepen, and experience how to foster dialogue in difficult circumstances. The game was developed by an international team of educators and researchers specialising in agent-based modelling and computational social science. Designed for academic and school audiences, it can also be adapted for other groups. The game works as a standalone activity or can be integrated into courses in sociology, political science, media studies, social policy and related fields. This guide provides step-by-step support for preparing and running the workshop, including the scenario and all printable materials needed for the game. More information can be found under: https://socialpolarisation.eu/game-based-workshops/ This publication is part of the ACTIPLEX project (Action for Interactive Anti-Polarisation Learning Experiences for a Better Democracy). The project is funded by Erasmus+ (project number: 2023-2-PL01-KA220-HED-000179196).
Komendant-Brodowska et al. (Tue,) studied this question.