ABSTRACT

Militaries around the world have benefited from computerized games. Many recruits have been attracted to the military through military-style video games. After recruitment, games and simulations provide an important means of soldier training, including before actual deployments. However, electronic games are lacking for UN peace operations. The multidimensionality of peacekeeping has yet to be simulated in serious games to complement the many games that too often depict a binary battlefield of blue-team versus red-team (or, often in public games, good versus evil). Not only could soldiers benefit from nuanced and ambitious peace-related games, so too could civilian peacekeepers, and the public at large. Peacekeeping gaming should not be merely at the tactical level; the operational and strategic levels can be gamed as well. The decision-making in future peacekeeping simulations could help instruct conflict-resolution and critical thinking skills. The paper posits that such digital games could be an important tool for current and future peacekeepers, both military and civilian. Commercial games could also help educate the public on UN peacekeeping. The paper suggests that the United Nations partner with some member states and perhaps the video game industry to provide in-depth training simulations that mirror the challenges and complexities of modern peace operations.

摘要

世界各地的军队都从计算机游戏中受益。通过军事风格的视频游戏吸引了许多新兵入伍。征募后，游戏和模拟提供了士兵训练的重要手段，包括在实际部署之前。但是，联合国和平行动缺乏电子游戏。维持和平的多维性尚未在严肃的游戏中得到模拟，以补充经常描绘蓝队与红队（或在公共游戏中通常是善与恶）的二元战场的许多游戏。士兵不仅可以从微妙和雄心勃勃的与和平有关的游戏中受益，平民维和人员和广大公众也将从中受益。维持和平游戏不应仅在战术层面上进行；运营和战略层面也可以博弈。未来维和模拟中的决策可以帮助指导解决冲突和批判性思维技能。该论文认为，这样的数字游戏可以成为当前和未来军事和民用维和人员的重要工具。商业游戏还可以帮助对公众进行联合国维和教育。该文件建议联合国与一些会员国或可能与电子游戏业合作，提供深入的模拟培训，以反映现代和平行动的挑战和复杂性。