Citizenship is the world's first board and app game aimed at promoting awareness of protecting the rights of asylum seekers. The game is premised on national citizenship tests, and on the resettlement 'queue' that some refugees are said to jump.
Citizenship tests are mandated by United States and Australian Governments and imposed on all immigrants, including those seeking humanitarian visas. By nature they are unfair, discriminatory and a poor test of how good a citizen a person will be (this is why all our immigrant playing pieces have worry lines on their foreheads). Test yourself with your friends and see whether you would qualify for entry into your own country when confronted by the faceless bureaucrats of your government.
The playing characters in the game represent a variety of nationalities that players can adopt. Players interrogate each other with question cards from the app, and if answered correctly, progress in the immigration queue. Along the way players will confront a faceless bureaucrat who may set them back, or progress them toward citizenship...more or less like in real life. The first player to reach the end of the queue wins the game and attains citizenship.
Aside from raising awareness of asylum seeker issues, we intend to donate profits to organisations that help asylum seekers in their process of attaining refugee status.
Have you got a question to add to the game?
Contact us to suggest additional questions for your region, we'd love to add them.
Simone & Jayke - Boston, USA
Madeline - Chicago, USA
Diego - Sydney, Australia
© 2014 Mekanica - Citizenship Board & App Game