Dictators’ Drinks at the Pub. A Role Play on the Strategic Use of Power and Violence

Abstract The Dictators’ Drinks at the Pub is a role play for political science students that develops an understanding of the rational and strategic uses of state violence. The role play facilitates informal discussions and mutual advice between political leaders of autocratic or semi-democratic states regarding the strategic use of violence. The role play is designed to allow a deeper understanding of how violence can be pragmatically and politically useful (beyond obvious normative prescriptions against it) and which institutional and other factors act to constrain it. By drawing on real-world cases, participants deepen their knowledge of one empirical case considerably, as well as fostering comparative analysis with other cases. The collaborative atmosphere strengthens group cohesion in-class allowing for more in-depth discussions of sensitive topics. While the method is time-consuming and strongly dependent on solid preparation through the participants, the role play facilitates in-depth and long-term engagement with the issues.