Digital Gamification as a Tool of Peacebuilding in Post-conflict and Emergency Settings: Understanding the State of Digital Transformation and Innovation for Peacebuilding in Sri Lanka.

Abstract

Following the tragic Easter Sunday Attack in 2019, Sri Lanka faced heightened ethnic tensions, prompting the need for innovative approaches to foster social cohesion, advocacy, and education. This need intensified following the Covid-19 pandemic, which increased existing social injustices in the country, creating an intersectional challenge under post-conflict and emergency context. While traditional educational approaches have been in practice for decades, educators, practitioners and academics in the peace education and transdisciplinary social development fields have recently begun harnessing the potential of digital tools such as games, virtual/augmented reality, and chat-bots powered by artificial intelligence. Various entities include Governmental, Non-governmental, and Intergovernmental organisations and academic institutions engaged in the research and implementation of digitization, gamification and Game Based Learning (GBL) alternatives for existing traditional structures of peacebuilding-focused education and social transformation among different communities. Although the impact and value of such theories and approaches have been proved and practiced globally, widely in the Global North, the impact and applicability of these digital interventions remains unclear in Sri Lanka’s local context. This study aims to explore the role of digital gamification in peacebuilding within post-conflict and emergency settings through a qualitative approach, understanding the aspects of localization, applicability, application, impact, social behaviour changes and best practices by analyzing pre-identified practitioners, educators and organisations who share lived experience. The study seeks to develop insights on the pre-conditions, effectiveness, sustainability and best practices of digital gamification in promoting peace, transparency, and accountability within affected communities