Member of the Month: Brian Klunk
The Member of the Month feature periodically highlights our amazing membership and the things they’re doing. June’s Member of the Month is Professor Brian Klunk, PhD.
What kind of work do you do?
I’m a member of the Political Science Department at University of the Pacific in Stockton, CA. I teach courses in International Relations, including U.S. Foreign Policy and Global Environmental Policy. I also teach frequently in Pacific’s First Year Seminars, which focus on developing skills in problem-solving, information literacy, and written and oral communication. My scholarship focuses on the intersection of political philosophy and international relations where I look, for example, at recent developments in Just War Theory. I plan to retire as an active faculty member at the end of the next academic year, so, naturally, my college has turned to me to serve as interim department chair for the next year.
Why are you a NASAGA member?
I am always looking for like-minded people to hang out with. I have been avid about games since I was very young. Early in my career, I began using games/simulations in teaching. Almost 40 years ago, I devoted Fridays in my Theories of International Relations course to playing Chris Crawford’s Balance of Power so students could describe the implicit theory of international relations that was embedded in the game. I haven’t looked back since. NASAGA seemed like a natural association.
What’s your favorite NASAGA memory?
I’m a fairly new member, and I have not attended a conference yet, but I get a lot of value out of the materials on the website, especially the blog/podcast. It’s a great way to keep up with what people are doing in the gaming and simulation space, especially game-based learning.
NASAGA’s theme for the 2024 Conference is “Fair Play.” NASAGA’s theme for the 2024 Conference is “Fair Play.” What does “Fair Play” look like in your professional practice, and what do you do to promote it?
As a member of Reacting to the Past’s Inclusion and Accessibility Committee, I think about this a lot. In Reacting, we find that not all games have a level-playing field. It is very difficult for students playing specific roles in some games to “win” a game. Also, dice rolls and other randomizing devices in our games can affect outcomes in ways that seem to break the link between players' actions and game results. These issues point to an instructor's responsibility to teach games so that students can still get satisfaction and learn from the experience. I’m also interested in questions of game design. How can games be designed to make them accessible to the widest possible audience?
