There are a variety of online games which aim to promote an understanding about social justice. In groups of 2-3, you will be allocated one game.

1st half hour

Play it for about 20 min and prepare a short review of it (ppt and email to BT):

  • name & description
  • aspect of social justice it addresses
  • how well it does this
  • what did you learn about the issue?
  • you should include a few screenshots

 

2nd half hour

  • present reviews

 

3rd half hour

  • based on reviews, you may play one or more of these games only!!

 

The Games / Simulations

http://www.gamesforchange.org/play/spent/

Live the life of someone without much money – how to spend limited money, too poor for doctor etc. Location: USA

Poverty in wealthy country: pretty good representation of issues

 http://www.gamesforchange.org/play/sweatshop/

‘Sick game’ where you hire adults or kids (cheaper) to work in a sweatshop, to make products for minimum cost. Fail and the boss swears at you and fires you.

Child Labour / Sweatshop: pretty good – people get injured, crying children, poor working conditions

 http://www.gamesforchange.org/play/wildfire/

Didn’t work

 http://www.gamesforchange.org/play/3rd-world-farmer/

You are a farming family in 3rd world family: drought, illness, poor years, militia. Start with little money, control farming decisions, gives you an ‘annual report yearly’ – health of family – give them medicine. Deaths at young ages (40 or so for parents, kids at 10)

3rd world countries – pretty good

 http://www.gamesforchange.org/play/free-rice/

Play vocab game – definitions / synonyms – you get 10 grains of rice for every correct answer. World Food Programme (UN Agency) – so real people benefit from you playing games. Other languages are there too.

 http://www.gamesforchange.org/play/darfur-is-dying/

You are a kid who goes to collect water (about 4km each way) while avoiding militia / soldiers.

Shows poverty, conflict, access to drinking water

 http://www.gamesforchange.org/play/ayiti-the-cost-of-life/

Role play as a family below the poverty line in Haiti – how to survive by working, paying bills etc. Pick a life path and follow it through.

Showed how hard it is to earn money and keep family healthy. Badly affected by things we wouldn’t expect etc.

http://ncase.me/polygons/ 

‘The parable of the polygons’: segregation in society

 

Or the menu is here – choose one from the categories of:
Poverty
Human Rights