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Rex Brynen

@rexbrynen.bsky.social

790 followers 530 following 120 posts

Professor of Political Science, McGill University. Middle East politics, peacebuilding, humanitarian response, urban warfare, intelligence, serious games. https://paxsims.wordpress.com/

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Political science 57%

Sociology 39%

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Reposted by Rex Brynen, Jacob T. Levy

McGill PoliSci @mcgillpolisci.bsky.social · 4h

Registration is open for the inaugural conference for the Diamond-Brown Chair in Democratic Studies!

"From Democratic Resilience to Recession: Global and Canadian Perspectives on Authoritarian Backsliding."

alumni.mcgill.ca/aoc/events-t...

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Rex Brynen @rexbrynen.bsky.social · 5h

Agreed (this came up in my seminar today too).

Reposted by Rex Brynen

Social Media Lab @socialmedialab.ca · 15d

If you are an educator, here's our curated list of educational games to help improve your students' ability to identify deepfakes and develop digital literacy skills. deepfakestracker.org/digital-lite... More games will be added later this fall.

Digital Literacy Games – deepfakestracker.org

Digital Literacy Games – A curated list of educational games to test your ability to identify deepfakes and develop digital literacy skills. Creating Disinformation Games Cat Park Players are challen...

deepfakestracker.org

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Rex Brynen @rexbrynen.bsky.social · 17d

Aggro-Cultural Warfare

The following article was written for PAXsims by Kristen Bishop, a Research Staff Member for the Strategy, Forces and Resources Division at the Institute for Defense Analyses (IDA). She received a Ph.D. in Plant Biology at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.…

Aggro-Cultural Warfare

The following article was written for PAXsims by Kristen Bishop, a Research Staff Member for the Strategy, Forces and Resources Division at the Institute for Defense Analyses (IDA). She received a Ph.D. in Plant Biology at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Before the passage of the 1972 Biological Weapons Convention, anti-agricultural biological weapons were a key component of the U.S.

paxsims.wordpress.com

Rex Brynen @rexbrynen.bsky.social · 18d

Connections Oz 2025

The Connections Oz professional wargaming conference will take place online on 12-13 November 2025. For more information, or if you would like to propose a presentation, visit the website above.

Connections Oz 2025

The Connections Oz professional wargaming conference will take place online on 12-13 November 2025. For more information, or if you would like to propose a presentation, visit the website above.

paxsims.wordpress.com

Reposted by Rex Brynen

McGill PoliSci @mcgillpolisci.bsky.social · 21d

reporter.mcgill.ca/cnn-academy-...

Over two decades, some two thousand or more McGill political science students took part in the annual POLI 450 peacebuilding simulation. Now it’s gone global—in part, due to McGill political science alumni. @rexbrynen.bsky.social

CNN Academy is sending journalists to Brynania, a fictional country created at McGill - McGill Reporter

Learning simulation, invented by Professor Rex Brynen and his students, puts participants into realistic situations and allows them to learn from their mistakes

reporter.mcgill.ca

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Rex Brynen @rexbrynen.bsky.social · 24d

MORS Certificate in Wargaming (November 2025)

The next Military Operations Research Society Certificate in Wargaming course will take place online on 17–21 November 2025. This five-day, online program is one of the only opportunities outside of government or academia to gain practical, high-level…

MORS Certificate in Wargaming (November 2025)

The next Military Operations Research Society Certificate in Wargaming course will take place online on 17–21 November 2025. This five-day, online program is one of the only opportunities outside of government or academia to gain practical, high-level training in professional game design. Whether you’re just stepping into the field or looking to refine your skills, this course provides a comprehensive foundation you can put to work immediately.

paxsims.wordpress.com

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Rex Brynen @rexbrynen.bsky.social · 28d

Today’s CNN Academy simulations build on more than two decades of peacebuilding simulation at McGill University @mcgillpolisci.bsky.social reporter.mcgill.ca/cnn-academy-...

CNN Academy is sending journalists to Brynania, a fictional country created at McGill - McGill Reporter

Learning simulation, invented by Professor Rex Brynen and his students, puts participants into realistic situations and allows them to learn from their mistakes

reporter.mcgill.ca

Reposted by David Dunning, Rex Brynen

Matt Novak @paleofuture.bsky.social · Sep 4

"This is a photograph of the alien from the movie Alien..."

gizmodo.com/senator-says...

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Reposted by Kori Schake, Rex Brynen

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · Sep 4

Favorable numbers for top Trump officials

RFK Jr: -7
Rubio: -10
Vance: -11
Hegseth: -14

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Rex Brynen @rexbrynen.bsky.social · Sep 2

www.crisisgroup.org/rss.xml

www.crisisgroup.org

Rex Brynen @rexbrynen.bsky.social · Aug 27

Shifting Sands matrix game

Shifting Sands is a matrix game developed by James Hood and Chris Hunt at Assiniboine College. For the Environmental Legislation course, the Shifting Sands matrix game provides an interactive opportunity for students to evaluate the environmental, social, economic, and…

Shifting Sands matrix game

Shifting Sands is a matrix game developed by James Hood and Chris Hunt at Assiniboine College. For the Environmental Legislation course, the Shifting Sands matrix game provides an interactive opportunity for students to evaluate the environmental, social, economic, and community impacts of development in the context of an extraction project. The proposed project presents opportunities to support electrification at a global scale but with potential negative impacts to local groundwater used by local rural and Indigenous communities.

paxsims.wordpress.com

Rex Brynen @rexbrynen.bsky.social · Aug 27

Games for Cities

Games for Cities is a five day training programme that will be held weekly in Amsterdam from 25 September to 30 October 2025. In this five-day training, you will learn how to develop and strategically apply games to address complex spatial and societal challenges. Drawing on…

Games for Cities

Games for Cities is a five day training programme that will be held weekly in Amsterdam from 25 September to 30 October 2025. In this five-day training, you will learn how to develop and strategically apply games to address complex spatial and societal challenges. Drawing on theory and latest technologies such as Urban AI, digital participation tools, and inspiring real-life examples, you will develop your skills step by step.

paxsims.wordpress.com

Rex Brynen @rexbrynen.bsky.social · Aug 24

Wargames Suisse Connections 2025

Switzerland gets its first Connections wargaming conference, on 20-21 September 2025 in Pully and Lausanne, Switzerland. Full details below. Wargame Connections Suisse_WCS25_Flyer_V1.1Download

Wargames Suisse Connections 2025

Switzerland gets its first Connections wargaming conference, on 20-21 September 2025 in Pully and Lausanne, Switzerland. Full details below. Wargame Connections Suisse_WCS25_Flyer_V1.1Download

paxsims.wordpress.com

Rex Brynen @rexbrynen.bsky.social · Aug 24

Armchair Dragoons: Connection US AAR

At Armchair Dragoons, Aaron Danis has written a report on the recent Connections (US) 2025 interdisciplinary wargaming conference: Connections 2025! (Part I) Professional meets Commercial Wargaming Connections 2025! (Part II) Professional meets Commercial…

Armchair Dragoons: Connection US AAR

At Armchair Dragoons, Aaron Danis has written a report on the recent Connections (US) 2025 interdisciplinary wargaming conference: Connections 2025! (Part I) Professional meets Commercial Wargaming Connections 2025! (Part II) Professional meets Commercial Wargaming

paxsims.wordpress.com

Rex Brynen @rexbrynen.bsky.social · Aug 24

Simulation & Gaming (October 2025)

The latest issue of Simulation & Gaming 56, 5 (October 2025) is now available. Editorial Dealing with Career Uncertainties: A Playful Strategy on How to Hit Your Career Jackpot Marlies P. Schijven and Toshiko Kikkawa Research Articles Board Game as a…

Simulation & Gaming (October 2025)

The latest issue of Simulation & Gaming 56, 5 (October 2025) is now available. Editorial Dealing with Career Uncertainties: A Playful Strategy on How to Hit Your Career Jackpot Marlies P. Schijven and Toshiko Kikkawa Research Articles Board Game as a Participatory Design Technique for Urban Spaces: A Ludological Analysis Abdullah Eren Demirel and Ela Alanyalı Aral Farmer Preferences on Contested Land Use in Agroforestry Landscapes: The RESORTES Game Implementation in Indonesia …

paxsims.wordpress.com

Rex Brynen @rexbrynen.bsky.social · Aug 18

Simulation and gaming miscellany, August 2025

It has been a very busy summer and we've fallen a bit behind but updates. Do not worry, though—here is our usual periodic (if much delayed) collection of items on serious (and not-so-serious) games and simulations. With the support of the Canadian Army…

Simulation and gaming miscellany, August 2025

It has been a very busy summer and we've fallen a bit behind but updates. Do not worry, though—here is our usual periodic (if much delayed) collection of items on serious (and not-so-serious) games and simulations. With the support of the Canadian Army Land Warfare Centre and the wargaming team at the Canadian Joint Warfare Centre, the Canadian Army conducted a wargame earlier this year to examine future formations and equipment.

paxsims.wordpress.com

Rex Brynen @rexbrynen.bsky.social · Aug 11

Educating warfighters with wargames

The Royal Danish Defence College will be hosting a one-day professional conference on Educating Warfighters with Wargames in Copenhagen on 11 November 2025, addressing the use of wargames in professional military education across Europe. The agenda and contact…

Educating warfighters with wargames

The Royal Danish Defence College will be hosting a one-day professional conference on Educating Warfighters with Wargames in Copenhagen on 11 November 2025, addressing the use of wargames in professional military education across Europe. The agenda and contact information can be found below.

paxsims.wordpress.com

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Rex Brynen @rexbrynen.bsky.social · Aug 10

Brooks: The Wargaming “Snowman”

The following article was written for PAXsims by Lieutenant Colonel Daniel “Tyler” Brooks (United States Army). At the time of writing, LTC Brooks serves as an Army Strategist (FA59/W1A) and wargame designer in the Department of Strategic Wargaming (DSW) at the…

Brooks: The Wargaming “Snowman”

The following article was written for PAXsims by Lieutenant Colonel Daniel “Tyler” Brooks (United States Army). At the time of writing, LTC Brooks serves as an Army Strategist (FA59/W1A) and wargame designer in the Department of Strategic Wargaming (DSW) at the United States Army War College (USAWC) in Carlise Barracks, PA, where he teaches the Army’s “Wargame Designer Course,” two wargaming electives for the School for Strategic Landpower (SSL), and runs bespoke analytical wargames for the Army and Joint Force.

paxsims.wordpress.com

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Rex Brynen @rexbrynen.bsky.social · Jul 22

CNN Academy at University College Dublin

Earlier this month CNN Academy ran a two-week journalism summer school in Ireland in partnership with the Clinton Institute at University College Dublin. The first week focused on developing journalism skills, while the second week saw students testing…

CNN Academy at University College Dublin

Earlier this month CNN Academy ran a two-week journalism summer school in Ireland in partnership with the Clinton Institute at University College Dublin. The first week focused on developing journalism skills, while the second week saw students testing those skills in a newsgathering assignment to the fictional country of Brynania. The scenario this year focused on digital disinformation, including social media, cybersecurity, and artificial intelligence.

paxsims.wordpress.com

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Adam Bonica @adambonica.bsky.social · Jul 20

He's right, and it's not just Brazil.

Around the world, at least 31 democratic leaders who committed similar crimes have been jailed or banned from office since 2010. The failure to hold Trump accountable in the US was a unique and systemic failure of our institutions and political culture.

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Reposted by Rex Brynen

Alejandra Caraballo @esqueer.net · Jul 16

In a major precedent setting move, a Canadian federal judge blocked the deportation of a nonbinary US citizen because the Canadian immigration office failed to adequately assess the conditions for LGBTQ people since Trump took office.

archive.ph/Q722T

Screenshot of a news article from The Globe and Mail with the headline: "Judge halts deportation of non-binary American in landmark ruling after Trump’s gender edicts." The article is written by Marie Woolf and was published in Ottawa 4 hours ago, with an update 3 hours ago. The website navigation bar includes links to Home, For You, Canada, World, Business, Investing, and Personal Finance.

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Rex Brynen @rexbrynen.bsky.social · Jul 12

Just wrapped up a terrific two weeks of CNN Academy at University College Dublin - a week of intense training, followed by a week of even more intense simulation set in the fictional country of Brynania, addressing issues of digital disinformation. youtu.be/Rt-EPqMBpFc?...

CNN Academy UCD 2025

YouTube video by Rex Brynen

youtu.be

Reposted by Diane Coyle, Rex Brynen, Aleksandra Urman , and 1 more Diane Coyle, Rex Brynen, Aleksandra Urman, Jeff Crisp

Henry Mance @henrymance.ft.com · Jul 4

Astonishing story. Huge questions over the company culture that allowed this. www.ft.com/content/c0e6...

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Reposted by Rex Brynen

mcgill-isid.bsky.social @mcgill-isid.bsky.social · Jul 4

Professors Kazue Takamura and Erik Martinez Kuhonta have been invited by the McGill alumni association of Manila to give a talk on their research: Fifty Years of Philippine Labor Migration: Challenges and Reforms
alumni.mcgill.ca/aoc/events-t...

McGill Alumni in Manila - Evening Discussion

McGill alumni and friends are invited to join our evening talk. Fifty Years of Philippine Labor Migration: Ch...

alumni.mcgill.ca

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Rex Brynen @rexbrynen.bsky.social · Jul 2

The (Australian) Army Battle Lab’s Professional Gaming List 2025

The Australian Army Battle Lab has published an updated list of (war)games that they feel are useful in military professional development: DG TRADOC's Professional Gaming List was released in 2022 (See DGTRADOC's Professional Gaming…

The (Australian) Army Battle Lab’s Professional Gaming List 2025

The Australian Army Battle Lab has published an updated list of (war)games that they feel are useful in military professional development: DG TRADOC's Professional Gaming List was released in 2022 (See DGTRADOC's Professional Gaming List 2022 | The Cove). It detailed a small range of either free, readily available (hardcopy print-and-play or online), commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) recreational wargames that were considered suitable to support professional development and education activities for all ranks, corps and SERCAT.

paxsims.wordpress.com

Atul Gawande @agawande.bsky.social · Jul 1

STAGGERING: This new study of 133 countries is the first to estimate the impact of all USAID’s work. In 2 decades, it has saved *92M* lives. Current cuts, if not reversed, are forecast to cost up to *14M* lives thru 2030. www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...

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Rex Brynen @rexbrynen.bsky.social · Jun 30

Simulation & Gaming (August 2025)

The latest edition of Simulation & Gaming 56, 4 (August 2025) is now available. Editorial A Balancing Act: How to Mitigate Overregulation in Healthcare Playfully Marlies P. Schijven and Toshiko Kikkawa Research Articles Play for the Future: A Cross-Sectional Study…

Simulation & Gaming (August 2025)

The latest edition of Simulation & Gaming 56, 4 (August 2025) is now available. Editorial A Balancing Act: How to Mitigate Overregulation in Healthcare Playfully Marlies P. Schijven and Toshiko Kikkawa Research Articles Play for the Future: A Cross-Sectional Study on the Role of Video Game Skills in Student Career Planning Christine Hoffelner, Christof Nägele and Albert Düggeli Midwifery Students’ and Obstetricians’ Perception of Training in Non-Technical Skills …

paxsims.wordpress.com

Reposted by Naomi Klein, Cary P. Gross, David Lazer , and 7 more Naomi Klein, Cary P. Gross, David Lazer, Jocalyn Clark, Hilary M. Babcock, Amy McGovern, Janet Murray, Rex Brynen, Shaun C. Hendy, Colin Talbot

Atul Gawande @agawande.bsky.social · Jun 25

This is a travesty & a nightmare. The US was a founder of @gavi.org. It lowers global vaccine costs, has vaccinated 1B children, & averted 19M deaths. This pull out will cost 100s of thousands of children's lives a year - and RFK Jr will be personally responsible.
www.politico.com/news/2025/06...

RFK Jr. says US won’t donate to global vaccine effort

Kennedy ripped into Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, in a video address at its pledging summit.

www.politico.com

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Reposted by Rex Brynen

TACC @tacc.org.uk · Jun 20

@kit-barry.bsky.social has built a small game with data we provided to help visualise just how relentless the Telegraph has been in platforming anti-trans narratives over the past year.

See if you can keep up with the sheer volume.

Sometimes data hits harder when you feel it!

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