Title:  Anchors in Time: Understanding Board Games in Historical Context

Author: Mr. Jeremy Antley

Abstract: While board wargaming has a storied history, far too often the only groups critically engaging with these complex cultural artifacts are the so-called 'hobbyists'. Yet with increasing interest in board games centered on topics outside the strict purview of wargaming, there arises deeper questions on not simply the design of a particular game but also the historical/cultural background of both the subject covered and the events surrounding the designers life.  Historians are weary of acknowledging the role games play in our interpretations of the past, mainly because the methodologies between the two- history and games- so greatly differ.  I want to suggest, however, that there is fertile ground for historical inquiry and that board games can be utilized in similar ways that primary/secondary sources already enjoy in the discipline.  By framing board games as 'anchors in time', evaluative qualities, such as source information, can be merged with more aesthetic factors, such as the experience of play.  Looking at the lineage of card driven games, such as Twilight Struggle or 1989: Dawn of Freedom, this presentation will outline ways in which Historians can go beyond the textual and bridge the gap separating games and historical knowledge.

Last Updated: 29 June 2012