30.8.2024
Doctoral Thesis on the potential of educational wargaming in developing battlefield acumen
B.A. Patrik Hulterström’s doctoral thesis in philosophy will be put forth for public defence at the Faculty of Arts, Psychology and Theology at Åbo Akademi University.
The thesis is entitled From Play to Power: A Philosophical Inquiry into How Educational Wargaming Can Help Cultivate Battlefield Acumen.
The public defence of the doctoral thesis takes place on Saturday, 7 September 2024, at 1PM in auditorium Armfelt, Arken, Tehtaankatu 2, Turku. You can also follow the defence online. Dr., Lecturer David Banks, King’s College London, United Kingdom, will serve as opponent and Professor Martin Gustafsson, Åbo Akademi University, as custos.
Summary
This study explores the potential of educational wargaming in developing battlefield acumen, a skill set crucial for military success. Identifying a gap in the wargaming literature about the conceptualization of how wargaming facilitates learning about warfare, the study employs the philosophical method of reflective equilibrium to devise a conceptual framework. This framework outlines how educational wargames can be conceptualized to generate learning, delineates the epistemic gains they offer, and how they can be assessed. Despite their inherent limitations, the study posits that educational wargames can serve as valuable tools for cultivating battlefield acumen. This research contributes to the fields of wargaming, war studies, and philosophy, offering a reasoned understanding of educational wargaming and its implications for military readiness. Acknowledging its limitations and the rapidly evolving epistemic landscape, the study emphasizes the necessity for continuous research, empirical validation of the framework, and exploration of emerging technologies. It also advocates broadening the application of the framework to various wargames and learning environments. The findings have the potential to influence military educational programs and widen the understanding of epistemic gains across broader contexts.
Patrik Hulterström can be reached by email patrik.hulterstrom@fhs.se.
The doctoral thesis can be read online through the Doria publication archive.
Click here for a press photo of the doctoral student.
Instructions for following the doctoral defence remotely:
To follow the defence, you need the Zoom software or the Google Chrome browser. You do not need to create a Zoom account to follow the defence. If you install the application, you participate by clicking on the meeting link, after which you should allow the link to open in the Zoom app.