Playing Poker with Hobbes, Kant and Anderson

Abstract: There has been previous work that has shown that games based on playing cards can be an effective way of demonstrating to students the logic of Hobbes realist view of the world and the impact of anarchy individually and at the international level in a visceral fashion. This paper builds from this model and develops several approaches that use a similar game format to teach students about different approaches to international relations, specifically realism, liberalism, and constructivism. By changing the rules of the game and allowing for different interactions, students learn to question the deeper theoretical foundations that unify and divide perspectives across the discipline. The paper will specifically address dynamics of liberal institutionalism, collective security and the possible role that identity can play in security choices.