I just came across this site, Games for Change, while reading Allison Fine's deserve-to-be-RSSd blog.
No doubts this isa very interesting and challenging project, especially if looking at all the different categories -Human Rights, Public Policy, Environment, Global Conflict, Politics, Public Health and so on.
I tried with "Economics", as it appeals my interests and I also felt I could compare it with some popular "civilization" games, and specifically launched 3rd World Farmer (see picture), an intriguing simulation of farming life in the third world (I suspect Africa in this case, looking at the landscape); the game includes different crops, animals (an elephant costs 500 dollars), tools, buildings and "ideas", this latter category including communications, infrastructures, schools, hospital and even insurance, which I guess can summarize financial services.
This is definitely already great, and I like the simplicity and immediacy of flash games, always playable through a couple of clicks.
On the other side, I would love to see if it would be possible to produce, maybe with the contribution of an open source-oriented and surely connected community, something that could involve the immense experience in the field of a coalition of NGOs, for example in microfinance, or the rich interaction produced by meta-organizations such as Change.org and others.
Ultimately, this is another example on how most applications, technologies, media can be of great use when mixed with social change goals, even when such mix appears least obvious (not that videogames are the least obvious, it is simply not obvious to produce games that are catchy, educational but still fun and engaging).
If corporate ventures are able, in the Social Web, to "commercialize freedom" and make money out of our interactions and life publicization, then changemakers can liase with new market forms and entertainment-driven spaces to advance positive social change.
Quick post. I embedded this video not just because it regards two very interesting speakers - Clay Shirky and Charles Leadbeater - and an obviously sexy topic - user-generated sites, modes of (self) governance and production, how and why people "game" systems - but because I appreciate the conversational style through which the talk has been organized. Worth checking.
I am generally very interested in every platform or Web 2.0-like site centered on philanthropy, activism and positive social change, as in my research I am trying to map the turbulent emergence of the non-profit Web.
Well, I will surely keep track of this "charitable auction website". NetSquared sees it as the "Next big fundraising idea", allowing anyone (individuals, charities)to raise charity money through donation or online auctions pages.
To me is more another confirmation that auction-based models work and might have different, interesting facets (See the "reverse auction" site BidPlaza, so popular in Italy) and that connecting philanthropy and markets is increasingly possible, if not necessary. (See the Danish MyC4, EBay's Microplace and to some extent Kiva, organisation that I am personally studying)
I will keep this tracked, as at present very little if no reaction from the blogosphere and generally the Web.
Surely, we are in front of a good, potential expression of state-of-the-art approach to fundraising. If they just could improve the look-and-feel of the platform, so NOT catchy at the moment...
As I said in other occasions, I am a supporter of geography and especially mapping as an effective, impacting way to show our world, the many different ways in which it could be interpretedand, thus, compare them.
This is the typical Red and Blue post-2008 elections America map, representing the states winner-takes-all system (few exceptions).
Large, red states to McCain, coast, norhtern border and a couple of blue central exceptions to Obama.
This is an even more "red" map, showing voting by county and adopting an ideal (not applied at National election stage) within county winner-takes-county system, showing a striking Republican spatial dominance...
How did we end up to this one, then?
Well, just resize and fit each state and county according to population (and thus weight in electoral votes) and use shades of purple for indicating percentage of votes.What you obtain is a much more sophisticated representation of the splendid (for voter turnout and passion) 2008 Elections, a metaphorical picture of Republican presence as an old mansion's spider's net, rather than a powerful red heart and, finally, a much more "purple" America.
Hopefully, and starting from Obama's discourse of inclusion and unity, this will really be a bit more the case and a more modern view of a big, heterogeneous country, still so important for the world.
Check Mark Newman's pages, Department of Physics and Center for the Study of Complex Systems, University of Michigan for the whole story and have a look if you can at his latest book, The Atlast of the Real World.
Well, I have always known how intense the life of an activist could be, and my study of the "Amici di Beppe Grillo" Meetup network strenghtened some of my ideas, but make sure you hve a look at this game from the CNN election centre website.
Hilarious...And tiring! After 15 rounds I had enough and had a serious need for a real coffee (caffeine is an important element of the game itself ).
A good simple, colorful and effective way of showing to the general public what "campaign rush" means...And not a bad way to use a quick videogame. I'd love to try a more complex version of it now, something that would involve more than just responding to the phone, printing stuff, drinking coffee and e-mailing. Maybe there could be some Sim City-like management of cities and states or some Theme Park/Hospital-style of even/convention management. Then the financial part with media, advertising spending, fundraising, corporate partnerships..
There's lots of videogames involving economics, commerce, production, but little dealing with politics and activism.With elections lasting 2 years in US, there would be plenty of time for promotion as well.
Grab that phone! Can you take the hectic pace inside a campaign office? Propel your party to victory in our CNN Campaign Rush game.
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and, finally, a much more "purple" America.
