Transformative Game Design: A Theoretical Framework -- Sarah Lynne Bowman

This lecture by Sarah Lynne Bowman gives a theoretical introduction to transformative role-playing games (RPGs). It establishing definitions of transition and transformation in the context of role-playing games, as well as exploring conceptual models of change from conflict transformation and motivational interviewing. The lecture briefly examines learning theories of assimilation, accommodation, and transformation, as well as of the points of resistance people face with regard to change and learning, including cognitive dissonance and identity defense. It further discusses ritual and bleed as potential mechanisms for change, offering a theoretical model for envisioning role-playing communities as mutually supportive transformational containers.

This talk is part four (4) of four (4) in the series Introduction to Transformative Analog Role-playing Games. The series also includes:

"Introduction to Tabletop Role-playing Games" -- Sarah Lynne Bowman:    • Introduction to Tabletop Role-playing...  
"Introduction to Live Action Role-playing Games (Larp)" -- Sarah Lynne Bowman:    • Introduction to Live Action Role-play...  
"Introduction to Transformative Game Design" -- Sarah Lynne Bowman:    • Introduction to Transformative Game D...  

This video is part of the course Introduction to Transformative Game Design, an online course with open registration for anyone with a Bachelor's degree and English proficiency. This course is taught at the Department of Game Design at Uppsala University.

Bio: Sarah Lynne Bowman, Ph.D. is a scholar, game designer, and event organizer. She is an Associate Professor for the Department of Game Design at Uppsala University Campus Gotland and the Coordinator for Peace & Conflict Studies at Austin Community College. McFarland Press published her dissertation as The Functions of Role-playing Games: How Participants Create Community, Solve Problems, and Explore Identity (2010). Bowman has edited for The Wyrd Con Companion Book (2012-2015), the International Journal of Role-playing (2016-), and Nordiclarp.org (2015-). She helped organize the Living Games Conference (2014, 2016, 2018) and Role-playing and Simulation in Education Conference (2016, 2018).

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The Transformative Play Initiative is part of the Games & Society Lab at the Department of Game Design, Uppsala University Campus Gotland. The Initiative explores the use of analog role-playing games as vehicles for lasting personal and social change.

Learn more about Transformative Play at Uppsala and join the TPI mailing list: https://www.speldesign.uu.se/research...

Learn more about the Games & Society Lab at the Department of Game Design: https://www.speldesign.uu.se/research...

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Editing by Liliia Chorna. Music by Elias Faltin. Captions by Kjell Hedgard Hugaas.