Serious games as a social learning tool in formalizing the artisanal and small-scale mining sector in African territories

Fenintsoa Andriamasinoro (1) , Audrey Hohmann (1) , Jean-Marc Douguet (2, 3) , Jean-Michel Angel (1)

1 BRGM - Bureau de Recherches Géologiques et Minières (BRGM)
2 OVSQ - Observatoire de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines
3 ESE - Ecologie Systématique et Evolution

The literature states that the predominantly “top-down only” approach classically taken to formalise the complex sector of artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) in Africa has resulted in the design of ineffective and/or incompatible regulations. This paper discusses a complementary “bottom-up as well” approach, based on the joint design, with local stakeholders—some of whom have very low literacy and education—of serious games as an educational tool combined with new management of resources and territories. These games would serve as a social learning laboratory that would (a) provide a secure framework for testing new decisions and (b) help change opinions through deliberations. This paper is theoretical and should be regarded as presenting the design and implementation of active research regarding ASM formalisation in African territories. We argue our proposal by reviewing the literature and field debates and also by applying a solid scientific foundation.

Mots clés: Artisanal and small-scale mining; Serious games; Participatory simulation; African territories

Domaines: Sciences de l'Homme et Société

Fenintsoa Andriamasinoro, Audrey Hohmann, Jean-Marc Douguet, Jean-Michel Angel. Serious games as a social learning tool in formalizing the artisanal and small-scale mining sector in African territories. The Extractive Industries and Society, 2020, 7, pp.1108 - 1120. ⟨10.1016/j.exis.2020.07.017⟩. ⟨hal-03491475⟩