Alejandro Merlan

Comthoery
November 22nd
Theory Application
The Cultural Approach by Geertz and Pacanowsky states that humans produce
communication webs that has a unique system of shared meanings. Geertz and Pacanowsky
stress that an organization does not have culture, rather an organization is culture. In order to
understand a groups shared meanings, researchers become ethnographers. An ethnographer
needs to describe all actions and the context in which they occur. Ethnographers interpret what
happened.
Ethnographers are interested in stories, language and nonverbal rites and rituals.
There are three types of stories that ethnographers are concerned with corporate, personal and
collegial stories. Corporate stories describe the way a group wants to be seen, Personal stories
define individuals, while Collegial stories show how the organization really works.
During the Pax Ludens event I decided to follow the Islamic Republic of Iran. Within the
simulation there was the United States, Syria, Israel, Russia, Iran, Turkey, Iraq, the United
Nations and the European Union. What I found is that the members that rolled played as the
leaders found themselves within interesting dynamics. Being citizens from the United States
they played the role of the other side, which is Iran. They setup up the room as very welcoming.
They had different teas, figs, dates and fruits. There were two individuals playing as the leaders
of Iran. The first played Iranian president Hassan Rouhani, and he was dressed in traditional
western attire. He wore a suit and tie, he did not seem to really distinguish himself from what an
American president would wear. The second however, played the role of the Ayatollah, Ali
khameni and he was dressed in traditional Islamic attire; befitting the role of the religious leader
of Iran.

The simulation made each day fifteen minutes long so that countries could schedule meetings in
a timely manner and so that the simulation can show the progress of their actions. For example
Irans first decisions were to schedule a meeting with China and Russia. Iran wanted to meet
with Russia for trade and revenue. On the other hand Iran met with China due to the sanctions on
Iran placed by the United States, negotiating trade with China, a more mutual country meant that
they could work around the sanctions.
In the Russia meeting they treated Russia as a strategic ally, mainly discussing arms and military.
Russia and Iran agreed in joint military cooperation due to chaotic region in the north caucuses.
Iran also had a hidden agenda they wanted nuclear scientists and were willing to allow naval
exercises in the Caspian Sea to gain the scientists. They eased Russia into this by saying that
Russia is one of our closest allies. The Iranians also belittled those against Iran gaining nuclear
technology calling them sinis conspirators.
For the China meeting location played an interesting role. Irans Ayatollah was told before the
game that if he left his room that was serving as Tehran then he could be kidnapped by Israel.
Also because of the negative views of Iran by western countries, specifically the United States,
China chose to meet with Iran in the neutral ground of Geneva. Geneva in the game served as a
safe haven, the world press were not allowed to write stories on meetings occurring in Geneva.
In the meeting Iran acted like an innocent child and the United States was a bully by placing
sanctions on them. Iran used hurt exclusively in describing how the sanctions by the United
States effected the country. Iran stated that their economy isnt strong and they wanted to sell
their natural gas, specifically petrochemicals, to a willing buyer. The Iranian official kept
stressing strengthening ties, working together, increase cooperation.

These meeting acted as corporate stories, Iran went out and established an agenda with a
particular country.
In a press release there was a breakout of Typhoid. Prompted by the other official, the Ayatollah
released the statement that follows: All members of religion come together in prayer and faith.
Then as Irans meetings were going so well they decided to roll the dice. Iran decided it was time
to deal with Israeli expansion and used another organization to deal with them, Hamas. First they
gathered intelligence on Israels military movements.
Meeting with Hamas, Iran changed their position and became the dominant negotiator, treating
Hamas like an employee working for Iran. Iran would say If you can prove yourself in stopping
Zionist expansion. The Iranians gave orders to the Hamas leader telling him to focus attacks in
a particular area. Iran would also see treat like Hamas like a child saying if that if Hamas does
their job then they would be rewarded down the line.
During the final half hour I documented the Ayatollah, on something I noticed early on and as
the game continued on it grew progressively. The person playing the role as the Ayatollah from
the onset was eager to play the role. This person had the most unique garb in the simulation and
the position he played was also unique. The Ayatollah is a religious leader and to most has more
power than the Iranian president. There were multiple people per country, but in all other cases
the president held the most power. When a press release came out and Iran needed a statement
from its leader, it was the Ayatollah not the president who would give the statement. The
Ayatollah began to take advantage of his perceived power; stating he would not meet with the
UN saying screw the UN, I am the Ayatollah. This is a personal story that contributes to who
he is. For the player he is seeing that he has such unique power, if he were a secretary of state his
actions would be disastrous. Since he is not a low position, he is rewarded for imposing his will.

He was rewarded on this power by other officials, the officials would not respond to the
president but if the Ayatollah sent out a message then there was immediate response. In response
to that the player would state I am the Mother freaking Ayatollah and he would adopt that
phrase, saying it casually to himself. In reality I believe this to be a ritual. I believe this phrase
became a ritual for this player because he would repeat this more as the game progressed and
once he said it once, reframing from saying it would be almost impossible to change.