Where's the Diplomacy in Diplomacy? Using a Classic Board Game to Teach Introduction to International Relations (original) (raw)

One of the challenges of teaching American undergraduates in an "Introduction to International Relations" course is fi nding a way to make topics and themes seem relevant to students. This article recounts the author's experiences using the board game "Diplomacy" in his course. The game places students in the role of decision makers in the international arena and simulates the international politics of pre-World War I Europe. In addition to being a powerful simulation of the diffi culties of international relations, the game teaches students about one of the most debated wars in the history of the discipline.