Overview and perspectives of wargaming in the social sciences

Panorama et perspectives du wargaming dans les sciences sociales

Philippe Lépinard ()
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Philippe Lépinard: IRG - Institut de Recherche en Gestion - UPEC UP12 - Université Paris-Est Créteil Val-de-Marne - Paris 12 - Université Gustave Eiffel

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Abstract: With the first transdisciplinary study days dedicated to wargaming and the publication of a double issue on the subject in the journal Stratégique, the year 2024 formally marked the French revival of wargaming practices and, more importantly, the desire to develop rigorous and tested methodologies. However, wargames remain largely confined to traditional academic and professional disciplines (History, Political Science, military training, etc.), limiting broader debates and innovative applications, particularly in educational practices and research within the fields of social sciences. Our article thus offers two contributions to support the development of wargaming both across disciplines and through a robust scientific foundation. The first outcome presents wargaming in three forms: educational wargaming, analytical wargaming, and recreational wargaming. Based on this initial work, which draws on a literature review and several activities conducted within IAE Paris-Est, we propose adapted methodologies for each form: experiential learning underpinned by critical realism for educational wargaming, cooperative action research in the form of collaborative inquiry for analytical wargaming, and guided practices for recreational wargaming.

Keywords: Recreational wargaming; Game-oriented learning; Higher education; Wargame; Wargaming; Belliludisme; Ludopédagogie; Enseignement supérieur; EdUTeam (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025-06-20
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Published in Management & Sciences Sociales, 2025, 41 (2), pp.158-175. ⟨10.3917/mss.041.0158⟩

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:hal:journl:hal-05112132

DOI: 10.3917/mss.041.0158

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