‘Taberlingen’ simulation game provided an immersive and educational experience for the participants, who are coordinators in the municipal sector, working with refugees and migrants and consistently engaging with diverse groups from public administration, voluntary organizations, and migrant associations.
The simulation game's agenda is designed to address the challenges related to the integration of refugees and migrants within a fictional German municipality. Participants assumed the roles of various local actors, such as representatives from political parties, unions, employers, migrants' self-organizations, and citizen initiatives. Throughout the simulation game, participants were confronted with critical decisions related to housing, education, labor market, and social cohesion at the local level. The focus on building coalitions and organizing logistical, cultural, and political processes within the municipality added depth and complexity to the experience.
CRISP and the Hessian Ministry for Social Affairs and Integration received overwhelmingly positive feedback from the participants. Many expressed how ‘Taberlingen’ provided a safe space to discuss the ongoing political and societal processes in Germany, related to migration, asylum and temporary protection as well as to reflect on participants’ own role:
“Our jobs as integration consultants are extremely political. We constantly need to take our own stand on socio-political questions. This simulation game helped us as a group of professionals to strengthen our common position.”
“Populism and political extremism become more and more popular in Germany. We need to find a better way to deal with this development. The simulation game helped to sharpen our arguments and increase an understanding of the role we can and should take these days.”
