نوع مقاله : علمی ـ پژوهشی
نویسندگان
1 دانشجوی کارشناسی ارشد معارف اسلامی و فرهنگ و ارتباطات دانشگاه امام صادق (ع)، تهران، ایران
2 دانشیار دانشکده معارف اسلامی و فرهنگ و ارتباطات دانشگاه امام صادق (ع)، تهران، ایران
کلیدواژهها
عنوان مقاله English
نویسندگان English
Introduction
Board games are among the oldest cultural practices in human societies, yet in contemporary cultural research they are increasingly reconsidered as significant media forms rather than simple tools of leisure. Strategic board games, in particular, possess complex narrative structures, symbolic imagery, and interactive mechanics that enable them to convey cultural meanings and social values. Unlike linear media, board games require active participation, decision-making, and interaction among players, making them especially suitable for the study of identity as a lived and negotiated experience.
Identity, in modern social theory, is understood as a fluid and historically contingent construct shaped through representation, discourse, and power relations. Scholars such as Stuart Hall emphasize that identity is produced within systems of meaning rather than merely reflecting an essential or natural core. Cultural texts—including games—play a crucial role in this process by organizing symbolic distinctions and normalizing particular values and worldviews. Despite the growing scholarship on digital games and identity, board games have received comparatively less attention, especially within the Iranian cultural context. This study addresses this gap by focusing on the representation of identity in strategic board games as cultural texts.
Materials & Methods
The research adopts a qualitative methodology grounded in cultural semiotics. Board games are treated as textual and symbolic systems composed of signs, rules, visual elements, and narratives. Data were collected through close textual analysis and purposeful sampling. Four strategic board games—Moukebdar, Munahhemana, Satrapan, and 7 Wonders—were selected based on their cultural diversity, strategic complexity, and representational richness.
The analytical framework employs syntagmatic (combination) and paradigmatic (substitution) analysis to uncover explicit and implicit meanings embedded in the games. A total of 320 analytical units, including cards, tokens, boards, and character roles, were examined. These units were analyzed in relation to different dimensions of identity, such as religious, cultural, ethnic, historical, gender, and class identities. This approach allows for an in-depth interpretation of how meaning is structured through both narrative content and gameplay mechanics.
Discussion & Result
The analysis reveals that identity representation in strategic board games operates across multiple semiotic layers. In Moukebdar, religious and cultural identities associated with the Arbaeen pilgrimage are foregrounded through symbols of service, cooperation, and collective devotion. The game emphasizes values such as sacrifice, solidarity, and communal responsibility, integrating religious identity into both narrative themes and gameplay structures.
Munahhemana prioritizes religious unity while simultaneously representing occupational and ethnic diversity. Roles such as preacher, merchant, farmer, and military commander highlight professional identities, while the shared religious framework reinforces collective cohesion. Ethnic diversity is visually represented through differences in appearance, yet unified through common religious belonging.
In Satrapan, historical and civilizational identity is central. The game draws on symbols of the Achaemenid Empire, emphasizing administrative hierarchy, imperial power, and collective labor. Occupational roles such as satraps, workers, and soldiers reflect structured social organization and reinforce a national-historical narrative.
7 Wonders represents identity primarily through civilizational competition and social stratification. Ancient civilizations, professional roles, and gendered representations are embedded within the game’s mechanics, highlighting class differentiation, technological progress, and power dynamics. Across all four games, identity is not only represented thematically but enacted through rules, resource management, and systems of reward and competition.
Conclusion
This study demonstrates that strategic board games function as complex cultural media capable of representing and reshaping multiple dimensions of identity. Through their symbolic elements, narratives, and interactive mechanics, these games create spaces in which identities are performed, negotiated, and reinterpreted. Identity emerges not merely as a narrative backdrop but as an integral component of gameplay structure and player interaction
By analyzing both Iranian and international board games, the research highlights the cultural specificity of identity representation while also revealing shared semiotic patterns. The findings underscore the importance of recognizing board games as meaningful cultural texts within the creative industries and cultural policy frameworks. Future research may expand this approach by incorporating player reception studies, exploring additional game genres, and examining the broader socio-cultural contexts of game production and consumption.
کلیدواژهها English
