Long-Term Effects of Larp Organisation and Participation

This deliverable covers the main studies performed in Larpocarcy WP2. The effects studies research team has employed several approaches to understanding larps with political themes and the participants, designers, and organizers who engage with them. The report discusses the theories, methodological approaches, and findings related to researching the effects of larp on democratic values and skills. The research also aims to identify existing political larps and their design features, as well as to establish fruitful areas for further design innovation. In particular, Larpocracy has focussed on democratic deliberation as an activity that can be explored through larp with explicit learning objectives and design constraints based on political science theory and practice.

This deliverable covers the multi-faceted methodological approach to these questions developed for the Larpocracy project. The mixed method approach includes 1) a literature review of existing larps and their thematics and key design features, 2) a quantitative survey that aims to better understand the demographic profile of larpers who enjoy political role-playing, with participants from adjacent and sometimes overlapping national and international larp communities, and 3) a set of focussed interviews with larp designers and experienced larpers for a selection of larp that deal with democratic themes.