"By nature, humans are storytellers," says Lee Hibbard, a Marion L. Brittain Postdoctoral
Fellow in the School of Literature, Media, and Communication. "And since people have been
people, we have found ways to entertain ourselves."Hibbard studies how people talk about t
heir identities and share them with others. Much of this comes down to storytelling, he ex
plains. Humans love to share stories because it's how we relate to each other and find com
mon ground. In video games, role-playing, and tabletop games such as Dungeons & Dragons (D
&D), storytelling comes to life in an interactive way that movies, TV shows, and books jus
t don't match. "Games are such a huge marker of identity formation, especially for young p
eople, because they give you the chance to pick up and play with things and try stuff out
for fun," Hibbard says. "It's a lower stakes opportunity to experiment with yourself and w
ith other people, and it's a cool way to learn about yourself."Interest in these kinds of
games has exploded since the Covid-19 pandemic, with one study reporting that online searc
hes for D&D have increased by 85% since 2020. Beyond playing the games themselves, fans sp
end millions of hours a year on Twitch and YouTube watching players adventure in these fan
tasy worlds. Rising interest and a growing gamer base spur discussion about the importance
of inclusion in such spaces, Hibbard says.In the following Q&A, Hibbard discusses why inc
lusive gaming is so important and how it can help people in marginalized communities claim
space in the real world. Read the full article on the Ivan Allen College website.