Opening up the conversation: using role-play for understanding interaction dynamics in multi-actor negotiations for sustainable rural development

Purpose This paper explores Role-Play as an experiential learning method to understand, discuss, and improve communicative dynamics in multi-actor negotiations for sustainable rural development in the Netherlands. It addresses the need for innovative methods that prepare students and professionals to manage conflicts and foster collaboration across differences.Design/Methodology/Approach We developed an interactive Role-Playing Game (RPG), grounded in a constructivist understanding of communication. Using an action research approach, we tested the game with graduate students and municipal council members. Data was collected through observations, audio recordings, and participant feedback, and analyzed qualitatively to identify patterns in interaction dynamics and learning outcomes.Findings The RPG surfaced barriers to constructive negotiation, such as entrenched positions, emotional undercurrents, and power asymmetries. Structured debriefing and facilitation enabled participants to shift from adversarial to integrative orientations, fostering empathy and collaborative problem-solving.Practical Implications Well-designed RPGs can serve as practical tools for agricultural education and extension to foster reflexivity and build dialogical capacity in students and practitioners working to bridge sectors and actors.Theoretical Implications The research contributes to the theoretical understanding of multi-actor negotiation by foregrounding the constitutive role of communication in shaping conflict and collaboration. The findings highlight the importance of dialogical principles and skilled facilitation in enabling shifts toward more relationally attuned and integrative engagement between diverse actors.Originality/ValueThe value lies in shifting the focus of Role-Play beyond individual skills or scenario testing toward the emergent properties of interaction itself, offering a novel approach for understanding and transforming how multi-actor negotiations unfold.