The Medieval Cooperative Board Game
Funded by the Public Engagement Seed Fund of the University of Groningen and the University Medical Centre Groningen.
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In this educational board game, players cooperatively explore the diverse medieval animal kingdom - including human species - from an ecocentric perspective. How did humans relate to real and imagined animals in the Middle Ages? How did they envision and depict these animals? What insights does this immaterial heritage offer for present challenges such as biodiversity decline?
The project's initial objective is to realise a publishable prototype of Monstrum, based on original bestiary research from my ongoing NWO Homo Imperfectus project, by collaborating with heritage institutions and Dutch schools (vwo/havo). Students can think along about the game design, research game elements, and/or playtest the game itself. In so doing, they actively reflect on (our relations with) animals in and since the Middle Ages, and how dehumanisation and animalisation contributes to the marginalisation of certain (groups of) people. |
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Play with Medieval Ecology
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Can you free all animals from the Book of Beasts in time?
The cooperative board game Monstrum invites you to explore the medieval animal kingdom from an ecocentric perspective. Play around with historical ideas about animals and discover their abiding relevance for present challenges, such as biodiversity decline and the marginalisation of human minorities. |
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AN ECOCENTRIC PERSPECTIVE
free animals and restore the biodiversity of the medieval world, or take on the role of Mother Nature and forge clues to guide the other players during their quest.
HISTORY OF SCIENCE
discover a variety of medieval creatures: learn their names, what they looked like and what they meant to people at the time. The game is inspired by insights of the ongoing NWO research project, Homo Imperfectus.
AUTHENTIC HERITAGE
all animal descriptions are based on descriptions from real medieval books of beasts. Thanks to collaboration with heritage institutions within and beyond the Netherlands, all animal cards feature images from original medieval manuscripts.
ONE FOR ALL, ALL FOR ONE
cooperation is central to Monstrum: you either win or lose the game together. The game design also draws from collaboration: feedback from high school and university students helps to determine how the game evolves from prototype to prototype.
Invited Lectures & Talks
Gins, Sven. Serieus Spelen met Geschiedenis: Van Historisch Onderzoek naar Historisch Bordspel.
Workshop for 'Gladiatoren uit de Wildernis' (part of the project week 'Verleden Week' of the History programme). Ghent University, 31 March 2025.
Workshop for 'Gladiatoren uit de Wildernis' (part of the project week 'Verleden Week' of the History programme). Ghent University, 31 March 2025.
Gins, Sven. Playing with Science: From Research to Board Game.
Science Communication Symposium (part of Professionalism in Pharmacy II). University of Groningen, 16 January 2025.
Science Communication Symposium (part of Professionalism in Pharmacy II). University of Groningen, 16 January 2025.
Gins, Sven. Mensen, Monsters, en Andere Beesten. Spelen met Middeleeuwse Beestenboeken.
IONC Symposium. Leiden University, 18 October 2024.
IONC Symposium. Leiden University, 18 October 2024.
Gins, Sven. Creatures of Excess. Monstrous Assemblages in Medieval Heritage and Modern Games.
Coding Medieval Worlds. Exilian & University of Vienna, 18 February 2024.
Coding Medieval Worlds. Exilian & University of Vienna, 18 February 2024.
Bruin, Tamara de. The Monstrous Female or a Female Monstrosity?
Coding Medieval Worlds. Exilian & University of Vienna, 18 February 2024.
Coding Medieval Worlds. Exilian & University of Vienna, 18 February 2024.
Posters
Gins, Sven & Tamara de Bruin. Playing with Monsters: How the Educational Board Game Monstrum Integrates Medieval Animal Heritage in a Posthumanist Pedagogy.
Education Festival 2025. University of Groningen, 24-26 March 2025.
Education Festival 2025. University of Groningen, 24-26 March 2025.
Playtesting in High School Modules
- Kunst en Culturele Vorming (Kamerlingh Onnes College, Groningen)
Playtesting in University Courses
- Nederlandse Cultuur en Maatschappij (Faculty of Arts, University of Groningen)
- Religion, Media, and Popular Culture (Faculty of Religion, Culture and Society, University of Groningen)
- Contested Humanity (Faculty of Religion, Culture and Society, University of Groningen)
- Middelnederlandse Letterkunde (Faculty of Arts, University of Groningen)
- Professionalism in Pharmacy II (Faculty of Science & Engineering, University of Groningen)
- Projectweek Verleden Week (Faculty of Arts and Philosophy, Ghent University)
Interactive activities
“Creature Features: Playing with Medieval Animal Heritage as a Teaching Tool.”
International Medieval Congress. Leeds University, 8 July 2025.
“Monstrum: Onderzoek Verpakt in Bordspel.”
Heritage Day ('Game On!'). Ghent University Museum, 27 April 2025.
“Monstrum: Onderzoek Verpakt in Bordspel.”
Day of Science & GEWINA Anniversary. Ghent University Museum, 24 November 2024.
“Svens Wilde Wereld.”
Weekend of Science. Faculty of Religion, Culture and Society, University of Groningen, 5 October 2024.
“Monstrum: Playing with Medieval Ecologies | Monstrum: Spelen met Middeleeuwse Natuur.”
Arts Festival. Faculty of Arts, University of Groningen, 21 September 2024.
“Ook getest op historici: testsessie historische gezelschapsspellen.” (with Bram de Ridder)
Historicidagen. Maastricht University, 22 August 2024.
“Svens Wilde Wereld.”
Weekend of Science. Faculty of Religion, Culture and Society, University of Groningen, 30 September 2023.
International Medieval Congress. Leeds University, 8 July 2025.
“Monstrum: Onderzoek Verpakt in Bordspel.”
Heritage Day ('Game On!'). Ghent University Museum, 27 April 2025.
“Monstrum: Onderzoek Verpakt in Bordspel.”
Day of Science & GEWINA Anniversary. Ghent University Museum, 24 November 2024.
“Svens Wilde Wereld.”
Weekend of Science. Faculty of Religion, Culture and Society, University of Groningen, 5 October 2024.
“Monstrum: Playing with Medieval Ecologies | Monstrum: Spelen met Middeleeuwse Natuur.”
Arts Festival. Faculty of Arts, University of Groningen, 21 September 2024.
“Ook getest op historici: testsessie historische gezelschapsspellen.” (with Bram de Ridder)
Historicidagen. Maastricht University, 22 August 2024.
“Svens Wilde Wereld.”
Weekend of Science. Faculty of Religion, Culture and Society, University of Groningen, 30 September 2023.
Interviews & Coverage
“Smarter in just a few throws: Research becomes board game.”
Ukrant, 11 June 2024. Published in Dutch as: “Wijzer in drie worpen: Onderzoek verpakt in bordspel.” (10 June 2024)
“Presenting the winners of the public engagement seed funding call.”
University of Groningen News Magazine, 16 June 2023.
Ukrant, 11 June 2024. Published in Dutch as: “Wijzer in drie worpen: Onderzoek verpakt in bordspel.” (10 June 2024)
“Presenting the winners of the public engagement seed funding call.”
University of Groningen News Magazine, 16 June 2023.
Royal Library of Belgium
Brussels, Belgium.
Royal Library of the Netherlands
The Hague, The Netherlands.
University Library Ghent University
Ghent, Belgium.
University Library Groningen, Special Collections
Groningen, The Netherlands.
University Museum Groningen
Groningen, The Netherlands.
Brussels, Belgium.
Royal Library of the Netherlands
The Hague, The Netherlands.
University Library Ghent University
Ghent, Belgium.
University Library Groningen, Special Collections
Groningen, The Netherlands.
University Museum Groningen
Groningen, The Netherlands.
The Monstrum project has benefited from the following funds:
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2025
2023
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Wessel Ganzevoort Fund
University of Groningen, Faculty of Religion, Culture and Society Public Engagement Seed Fund
University of Groningen & University Medical Centre Groningen |
The research on which this project is based has benefited from the following funds:
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2023
2021
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Graduate Student Research Grant: Art and Architecture Across Borders in the Medieval World
Association Villard de Honnecourt for the Interdisciplinary Study of Technology, Science, and Art (AVISTA) PhDs in the Humanities Fellowship
Dutch Research Council (NWO) |
