I’ve been stumped for a few days trying to decide whether or not to review an adventure module from a few years ago. Ultimately, there’s not enough to say about this particular adventure to make a full review of it. Instead, it has given me the push that I needed to broach topics that are more important than ever these days: cultural appropriation and decolonization.[1]
Obviously these are massive subjects more suited to careful academic discourse; a single blog post, or even a series of blog posts, cannot hope to do justice to these topics. At the same time, it doesn’t hurt to engage in this sort of discussion outside of formal academic settings. The hobby of role-playing seems to be more and more popular with each passing year. Not only are these topics relevant to this hobby in the present, the answers that we come up with are likely going to have real consequences for its future. We have to ask: will it be an inclusive space for people of diverse backgrounds, beliefs, and perspectives?
It’s vital that we ask tough questions about the sorts of real-world inspiration that we’re bringing into our games. For instance, I would love to play some sessions in a setting inspired by medieval Japan. In order to do so, it’s necessary to think about the kinds of elements that would be appropriate to include (e.g., samurai weaponry) in contrast to elements that might be in poor taste (e.g., burakumin, the lowest caste of people that were exploited throughout Japanese history; even in modern society their descendants face persecution). This example is a little extreme, but it serves to highlight the thought process that we should practice.
It may be necessary to ask: is it even acceptable to run a campaign in a setting inspired by medieval Japan? I’m fairly certain that it’s just as acceptable as one inspired by medieval Europe. Treating a subject matter with a degree of care and respect — especially when it concerns a different culture — goes a long way.
With that said, there are certain parts of culture that should be considered off-limits. Some North American indigenous peoples’ art styles, for example, are sacred. Even though someone from outside these groups may have the best intentions when making artwork “inspired” by those sacred styles, it’s still insensitive and disrespectful to do so.
There’s also the question of representation. How are different peoples being portrayed within our game worlds? Western civilization is frequently held up as the only acceptable way of organizing a society, which completely disparages other peoples’ accomplishments and way of living.
By asking these questions, engaging in thoughtful discussion, and, perhaps most importantly, listening to perspectives that are often ignored, we should be confident that we’re taking steps to make our hobby better.
Notes
1. I won’t be naming the particular adventure module to avoid singling out its author(s).