The pedagogy and practice of role-play: using a negotiation simulation to teach social science theory

Audio-visual conferencing software enables students to participate in role-play simulations from remote sites. This paper details the teaching methodology for Open University Masters course D833 ´Environmental Practice: Negotiating Policy in a Global Society´. The course includes a negotiation role-play simulation that aims to simulate multilateral negotiations at the United Nations. The simulation provides a ´laboratory´ for students to experiment with and enhance their understanding of theories of negotiation, international cooperation and international environmental law. Students are guided in using theory (i) to participate in the simulation as interested participants with a vested stake in the simulation, and (ii) to explain the process and outcome of the simulation as disinterested objective scholars. Students thus gain experience in working with theory in two different though interrelated roles-those of the practitioner and the social scientist.