The Repression Trap / Student guide

Student guide

Created by Yoav Duman / יואב דומן

The streets are full. The offices are open. Follow the cooperation that makes a government work.

The Repression Trap. Created by Yoav Duman. A fictional harbor city and crowd connected to government institutions by red threads.

Choose your route

Just exploring: the same political choices, with optional writing. For class: make the forecasts and required explanations, then export your field report. Exploration stays visible in the record if you later switch to class.

Five episodes, one reasoning trail

  1. Visibility: a large crowd does not automatically change institutional cooperation.
  2. Dependence: decide how to use disruption while people bear unequal costs.
  3. Repression: respond to arrests, damaged coordination and different audiences.
  4. Audiences: work through conflicting accounts and forms of action.
  5. The offer: distinguish promises, implemented gains, leadership departure and an opening.

Read the city reports and the model conditions, choose a priority and forecast one change before the update. At decisions 1, 3 and 5, class mode asks for a short explanation of at least 15 words under the default assignment. Your instructor may set a different minimum. At decision 5, explain the institution you forecast during the period pursuing your demand, before implementation is confirmed.

After five decisions, predict a replay of decision 2 under a different outside-backing package. Explain the difference, including a possible zero immediate difference. Write a final argument using a card ID, an actor and dependency, a cost, a rival cause, evidence that could distinguish accounts, and a boundary for transfer.

A wrong forecast is useful evidence. Compare it with the update and add a revision. A matching direction does not establish the explanation. Your campaign ending is separate from the quality of your argument.

When a term or instruction slows you down

Dotted terms open definitions by hover, keyboard focus or tap. Use Concepts for this decision, Need a nudge, the institution map, or Tools + help. Notebook keeps the original reports and your first explanations; episode buttons jump to earlier evidence. You may append revisions without replacing the first account.

Response boxes expect typed writing. Paste and text drops are off by default. If an approved writing tool needs clipboard insertion, ask your instructor about enabling paste. Definitions, dictation/composition input, saving and evidence remain available.

Save, export, submit

  1. Choose Save + pause to keep a checkpoint in this browser. Autosave is an optional setting.
  2. Download a progress JSON before changing devices, browsers or websites. Use Restore / paste backup to continue; this restore box accepts paste.
  3. When finished, download the readable TXT or use Print / save as PDF for your field report.
  4. For class, submit the report through Canvas or the course system your instructor names. Downloading does not submit it.

Each website and downloaded copy has separate browser storage. A readable report cannot restore the game; use the progress JSON. On a shared device, follow your instructor’s identifier guidance.

Your pace

Plan roughly 45-65 active minutes, with extra time for careful reading or discussion. This is an estimate, not measured classroom timing. There is no countdown or forced waiting period. Save before the final synthesis if you need a second sitting.