Tick, Tick, Boom: Simulating Human Rights Decisions in the Classroom

Tick, Tick, Boom: Simulating Human Rights Decisions in the Classroom

By Anne Watson Middle, Georgia State University

This article presents an original simulation, called Tick, Tick, Boom, which is designed to help students examine the use of torture in counterterrorism interrogations. The simulation is designed to be embedded in a larger array of course content but needs only one 50-minute class period to play. Unlike many similar games, students participate individually, learning the consequences of their actions through dice rolls. The article summarizes the gameplay and debriefing, presents a brief assessment of the simulation as an activity, and offers suggestions for future extensions.