Interdisciplinary Studies in Media and Culture

The Role of Board Games in Rebuilding and Strengthening the Cultural Identity of Iranian Adolescents "Presenting a Model Based on Data-Based Theory with an Emphasis on Family Function"

Articles in Press

Document Type : .

Authors

Somaye Bakeshlu 1
Somaye bakeshlu 2

1 PhD student in Culture and Communication, Faculty of Islamic Studies, Culture and Communication, Imam Sadegh University, Tehran, Iran

2 Associate Professor, Department of Propaganda and Communications, Faculty of Islamic Studies, Culture and Communications, Imam Sadegh University, Tehran, Iran

10.30465/ismc.2026.54636.3049
Abstract
The increasing popularity of board games as an effective cultural medium, which was previously less discussed, has made it inevitable to reinterpret this phenomenon in the daily life of the new generation.

This research aimed to analyze the role of these games in the formation of the cultural identity of Iranian adolescents. The present study was conducted using a qualitative method and data-based theories. Research data were collected through observation and participation, as well as direct semi-structured interviews with 13 participants, including game designers, adolescent consultants, and active players. The findings showed that the central phenomenon is “family-oriented board games in the reproduction and strengthening of cultural identity.” These conditions have conditions such as family authenticity and the mechanism of internalizing values, and have been formed in the context of contextual conditions such as the dominance of manufactured products against a rich historical background. The results indicate that by employing strategies such as localization, thematic redesign, and the development of family-oriented styles, messages such as reproducing and consolidating cultural identity, strengthening family cohesion, developing skills, and relative change in life can be achieved.

Keywords

Board games
cultural identity
Iranian teenagers
interactive media
family
Subjects
Interdisciplinary Studies in Media and Culture

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 26 August 2026

  • Receive Date 18 May 2026
  • Revise Date 25 August 2026
  • Accept Date 26 August 2026
  • Publish Date 26 August 2026

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