Interdisciplinary Studies in Media and Culture

Representation of Identity in Strategic Board Games; A Semiotic Study of the Games Moukebdar, 7 Wonders, Satrapan and Munahhemana

Articles in Press

Document Type : .

Authors

Alireza Hosseinpour 1
Mohammadsadeq Nasrollahi 2

1 Faculty of Islamic Studies and Culture and Communication, Imam Sadiq University (peace be upon him)

2 Faculty of Islamic Studies and Culture and Communication, Imam Sadiq University

10.30465/ismc.2025.52977.2990
Abstract
Strategic board games can be considered as text and cultural media in which the elements, narrative, characters, and images of the game play an active role in understanding and experiencing the game, creating an overall picture of the game. This research aims to investigate the methods of representing identity and its dimensions in four strategic board games (Moukebdar, Munahhemana, Satrapan, and 7 Wonders).

The research method is qualitative and based on cultural semiotic analysis, and data were collected through textual studies and purposive sampling. In this study, the techniques of syntagmatic and paradigmatic analysis were used to discover the explicit and implicit connotations of the games.

The findings show that religious, gender, ethnic, historical, and class identities are represented in various ways in these games, and in each game, one or more identity components are central. Accordingly, the research results indicate that strategic board games, as cultural texts, utilize narrative, symbolism, and interactive mechanisms to provide a platform for representing and rethinking various dimensions of religious, cultural, historical, and professional identity. In each game, a specific type of identity is highlighted in relation to values.

Keywords

Board games
Identity
Semiotics
Representation
Interdisciplinary Studies in Media and Culture

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 15 December 2025

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