You are you. Thanks to your parents, friends, character and opportunities in your society. But what if you never knew your family? What if you were homeless? What if you were not allowed to vote in the next elections? What if your skin had another colour? Do you ever think how your life would be if you were not you?
Playing with Privilege is an interactive board game. It increases the players’ understanding of society by identifying privilege on different levels. The game is fun, but also about empathy, learning and starting a conversation. Step in someone else’s shoes and experience a feeling of winning, or unfairness, that people experience in their daily lives. The method is based on scientific research.
Playing with Privilege is suitable to play with students, colleagues or friends. We facilitate meaningful group conversations and additional lectures on privilege and diversity. Take a look in our webshop to see all our products. Let’s play!
The game explained in 4 steps
Pick a card &
set your goal
Are you the son of an ambassador or a single mother? The daughter of a local bank manager or an irregular migrant? Imagine your childhood, think about your goal in life and introduce yourself to the other players. You win the game if you have reached your end point, meaning you have reached your goal.
Define your starting position
Let’s start the game and live life. You want to win, right? But first, statements are being read out. Take a step forward if these apply to you. For example, take a step forward if you have never encountered financial difficulties, if you can vote in elections or if you can go on a holiday abroad every year.
Start living & try to attain your goal
Throw the dice, but know that on certain steps events will take place. For example a change in policy, the death of a parent, being able to get a scholarship to study or getting a baby. Depending on your character, these events will take you steps forward or back. The person who reaches step 63 first, wins!
Talk with- & learn from eachother
After the winner is announced, speak and share your thoughts and emotions during the game. Guided by 13 debriefing questions, discuss the meaning of privilege and social justice and see if there is a translation to real life experiences possible. Then, discuss if we need to address inequalities in society and if so, how we can start tomorrow.
“I kind of expected the winner to win. Because of the roles in society. And I had hoped that he wouldn’t win. (laughs) Yes..
We have hopes.. and then reality kicks you.”
Lithuanian player, 27
Video of the Board Game Playing with Privilege
In this video the Dutch version is shown. The English edition of the game has the exact same look!
Based on research
Curious about the research on which this game was based?
The scientific research compares students’ understanding of social justice and their social work education on this topic in Uganda, the Philippines, England and the Netherlands. It reaffirmed that effective facilitation of development requires addressing root causes, and how this is lacking in modern day education. Therefore, Playing with Privilege is created!
The research has been presented at the Social Work, Education and Social Development Conference (IRE, 2018) and the European Conference for Social Work Research (UK, 2018).