Aryanna Highfill has had a rough semester. The junior public relations major has been betrayed by some of her closest friends, sat underneath a manipulative dictator and is about to lose her entire country by force through a coup.
All within the realm of the board game, Diplomacy.
Diplomacy is “if Risk and Monopoly had a baby, and then you put it in real life,” according to her dual enrollment classmate, Grady Allen. “I spend a minimum of eight hours a week on it, and then some over the weekend.”
It’s a cutthroat game based around World War I that’s a race to the top, securing a win by submitting orders each round and obtaining 18 territories over the course of however long you want it to be. In the case of Seth Brake, it’s all semester.
Brake is a professor of Political Science at Union, and the game began in his international relations class.
“It’s kinda notorious in political science circles because of the way it exposes people to the harsh realities of international relations,” Brake said. “The use of the board game itself in this context isn’t necessarily novel, but what is interesting is the way we use it to explore IR theory at the more basic level.”
Though they’re also using it to explore a little more than just theories.
“It’s notorious for ruining friendships too,” Highfill said. “And Professor Brake tells us that. But it genuinely does affect a lot more than you would think.”
Brake’s students are also writing reflections on the game throughout the semester, examining what they both think and feel about what’s going on.
“They’re applying concepts from the class to their specific moves and assignments,” Brake said. “And we’re using it to explore some of the more difficult questions in international relations, like basic things about power.”
The potentially dark answers to these questions are Highfill’s core issue with the game. But that’s Brake’s whole point — he’s trying to create an environment where students’ morals and boundaries will be tested, forcing them to make hard decisions.
“I’ve tried to teach these concepts in various ways, and it seems like this is one of those things that you really can’t understand until you’ve experienced it yourself, to some degree,” Brake said. “The game helps you explore why people in real life make these sacrifices, even when it’s uncomfortable.”
But Highfill does have experience with these issues in real life, as her dad served as part of the 81st Airborne Division in Iraq.
“Growing up the slogan of the division was ‘sleep safely, because the 81st Airborne Division always has your back,’” Highfill said. “It’s this idea that we can sleep at night because other men out there are willing to make ethical sacrifices to keep us safe. And I’m thankful for that because I would never be able to make those sacrifices.”
This still doesn’t change Highfill’s opinion of the game any though, as it’s still had its fair share of personal effects on her.
“This game has made me so cynical,” Highfill said. “I thought it was just a fun way to learn at first, but as it all progresses, you begin to realize that even if it is ‘just a game,’ it’s actually reflecting individual people’s character. Especially since it’s not just a one-time thing — it’s a game that lasts the entire semester.”
“You have to place real life in the game,” Allen agreed. “I take it a little more seriously because if you’re serious about politics, you have to.”
Grady Allen is a dual enrollment student at Union with a bright future ahead of him. At just 17 years old, he already has the intelligent personality for politics, both intellectually and emotionally. He also already knows that this is the calling the Lord has placed on his life.
“It’s weird for me because my classmates are going back to their dorms and talking to their roommates about the game, and I’m going home and talking to my sister,” Allen said. “I feel lucky being able to push myself by taking this class with the excuse of still being a teenager.”
Playing the game has also further confirmed his vocation, continuing to encourage his ability to healthily make these decisions — just like Brake intended.
“Diplomacy itself has made me want to be a diplomat more than ever,” Allen said. “It’s kinda prideful, but I’ve realized through this game that I’m pretty good at diplomatic strategies.”
But what might be the strangest part about the whole thing is that this class isn’t hosting the only Diplomacy game being played on campus.
“Yeah, there’s a group that started their own Diplomacy game,” Highfill said. “They’re playing just for fun. But I don’t know why you’d do it for fun.”
“I think it’s a blast,” freshman digital media communications major Liv Keathly said. “I love Diplomacy. But I didn’t even know what it was until a few months ago. And I kinda still don’t know what’s going on. I just know we hate Austria.”
She and a friend were recruited by one of her classmates, gamemaster and freshman business administration major Dowen Campbell.
“We went to Goodwill and pulled up in fake mustaches and thrifted blazers,” Keathly said. “People thought we were cosplaying Undercover Barbie or something.”
She’s fought through the oft-brutal nature of the game and made it into a positive thing.
“It’s been a really great opportunity to meet new people,” Keathly said. “We started giving people candy and stickers and lollipops. We made friendship bracelets. One guy had a birthday and so we brought him a letter. And now I’ve met people in frats and chess clubs. People from all over the place.”
Campbell got the game for Christmas and simply wanted to play it with his friends. He had no idea the game was also homework in Brake’s class.
“I just really like the strategy of it,” Campbell said. “It’s a very well-made game. I started playing it on my phone a few years ago and then totally forgot about it. Then I just randomly remembered it, and put it on my wishlist for this year.”
Despite its surprisingly widespread popularity outside of the classroom, Brake didn’t realize other people even knew about the game.
“There are other people playing it on campus?” Brake asked me. “It’s a dangerous game, so I hope people play it responsibly. I take some comfort in knowing I can keep things controlled in the classroom, but you know, have at it. It’s a fun game. Maybe the students that survive this class will be able to explain why things are happening to them.”
For the students who do survive until the end, there’s a reward in store.
“Whoever wins the game gets an automatic A on the final,” Brake said. “It started out as a way to get students interested for the first few weeks, but now I think they’re all invested, whether they want to be or not.”
However, there’s always a chance that tragedy might strike.
“It’s also possible that nobody wins before the semester is over,” Brake said. “I think there are some people who are banking on that, but we’ll just have to see.”
So while the game’s popularity might be up for debate in the classroom, it’s still unanimously loved on the outside.
“We’re doing a turn a week right now, but it’s kinda slowing down,” Campbell said. “People are just getting really busy, so I don’t know what the future of it is. We’re gonna try to keep it going for as long as we can. It’d be crazy if it just ended up going all four years.”
“I would love it if it went for all four years,” Keathly said. “I’ll be here, so I’m down.”
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