Hundreds of pupils at Bootham School in York came face to face with the consequences of global capitalism last week. They were taking part in an unusual and innovative game as part of the school’s focus on ‘Globe Day’.

‘A Dangerous Game’ was invented by Mark Robinson, Bootham’s head of chemistry. ‘It’s a role-play game,’ he said, ‘where students run the world and feel the real consequences of their own and others’ actions. Today’s oil slicks in the USA and the famine beginning now in the Sahel had echoes here in York for the pupils.’

I recycled and stole because it was the only way to survive.

A key to the game is its realism. If things go badly participants can end up without a decent lunch or in a refugee tent in the school grounds with a handful of rice. If things go well they can get a great lunch, luxuries and even cash!

‘While I am not a Quaker, the values of Quakerism are very important to me,’ said Mark. ‘They are a definite influence on the game. It is also a wonderful way of ending the summer term as a community. All lessons are suspended and everyone who can takes part.’

Around 300 pupils were involved in the game. They were split up into different ‘worlds’ with sixty people in each world. Each world had three countries: a rich nation, a poor nation and an emerging economy, These were then divided up into smaller groups: ‘families’ of four or five people.

Pupils at Globe Day | Mark Robinson/Bootham School

‘The pupils have to work together to make wealth or just to survive, but their decisions could have big effects for other people. They can decide to work for themselves or to do what is best for the whole world,’ said Mark.

The choices are about resources and how they are distributed. Pupils must negotiate to make choices that benefit everybody. That requires negotiation. So each group has an ambassador.

‘It is quite nasty at times. In some ways participants are being rewarded for being selfish. That is like the real world. There is always the potential for good and for bad. Some students get very caught up when they see that the actions of others have deprived them of lunch or a good pudding!’

Tucking into rice and cabbage | Mark Robinson/Bootham School

‘The first time we played it, we had people migrating between countries to avoid destitution. There were thefts. One family found that it paid to sell a family member as a slave worker. Then we had others solving their difficulties by recycling and co-operating.

‘The game is a way to get the pupils to think in geo-political terms,’ said Mark Robinson. ‘They are prompted to think about the wider implications of global warming. I wanted to create a game that would simulate what might happen in the real world as climate change has more effect; so the game does a fast forward through the next fifty years with pupils able to make the choices that could influence the world.’

‘The game is amazingly open-ended; we have few rules and we don’t have one intended outcome. We have students leading countries trying to fend off a flood of refugees, while in others the student leaders manage to reach a way of working so that everyone gets a decent lunch.’

The game has been played at a climate change conference at a university in South Africa. It created huge controversy and so touched a nerve among one group who played it that it re-ignited inter-racial grievances and caused some upset. It was, however, considered to be one of the highlights in the post conference feedback.

‘The changes are in the hands of the pupils,’ said Mark. ‘They have to make choices and each choice has consequences. I wanted them to experience what it is like being excluded – to have empathy with the poor in a refugee camp. This is what global warming will bring to some people. So they are made to identify with people, with their situation, with the choices they have to make.’

During ‘Globe Day’ at Bootham there were a host of other activities including African drumming, painting, tree planting and cooking in the ways of rain-forest dwellers.


Visit www.boothamschool.com to download a copy of the game.

Elle, 15.
‘We were wondering whether to sell one of our family who wasn’t a good worker. I learned that if you start off in the rich world everything just goes better for you all the time. If you’re in a poor country it’s hard for you.’

Howard, 16.
‘We had to think out of the box. We were a third world country; we didn’t have to think morally, we just had to survive using any tricks we could think of. I bribed the supervisor $3 not to imprison someone in my family who had stolen.’

Pupils at Globe Day | Mark Robinson/Bootham School

Caitlin, 17.
‘I was an ambassador, working out whether to play the nice guy or play mean. Sutherland were playing dirty, but I made an alliance with the rich country and they gave us money. It was amazing how much difference we could make by going renewable. The game was a lot of fun. It opened my eyes.’

Jake, 15.
‘We had to close our borders because people kept coming to steal. In the end we pooled our money to the richest family so they could win. I learned that you’ve got to work to survive.’

Amelia, 15.
‘I recycled and stole because it was the only way to survive. The main challenge was just to get a meal. I’d recommend the game because it makes you aware – we were so desperate in a poor country [once climate change kicked in].’

Henry, 15.
‘I learned that things can change really easily: one decision can change it all and you start picking sides. It was really enjoyable. We should do it every year.’

Solomon, 15.
‘I learned that it’s unfair to be in a third world country. I’d recommend the game because it really works so well. It gives you a good picture of how the world ticks – how difficult it will be for third-world countries.’

Ellie, 15.
‘We all had ideas about how to survive, but there were so many choices. I was traded as a slave working as an illegal worker for a family in a rich country. It highlighted the world problems in a short amount of time.’

Pupils enjoying their lunch at Bootham school | Mark Robinson/Bootham School