Gamifying Inclusivity: The ‘Crip Lit’ Card Game by Jadavpur University

1. Core Concept and Origin

• Project Name. ‘Crip Lit’ Cards (derived from “Crip Theory,” a field of study that critiques ableism).
• Developer. Designed by Ishan Chakraborty, Assistant Professor at the Department of English, Jadavpur University, who is himself visually impaired.
• Funding. Supported by the Global Jadavpur University Alumni Foundation (Danville, California).
• Primary Goal. To shift disability from being a “specialized” or “marginal” topic in literature to a central, interactive part of the academic curriculum.

2. Game Mechanics and Design

• The deck functions as a collaborative matching game that challenges traditional notions of literary history and power.
• Matching Attributes. Players score points by matching various intersectional factors of the featured authors:
• Historical Time Period (dates are located on the back of the cards).
• Type of Disability.
• Gender & Sexual Orientation.
• Region/Nationality.
• The “Power Cards.” These specialized cards feature Queer and Transgender disabled figures. When played, they redistribute turns, points, and choices, physically disrupting the game’s “hierarchy” to mirror how marginalized figures disrupt social power structures.
• Cooperative Play. Unlike standard competitive card games, ‘Crip Lit’ encourages a slower, “crip time” pace—prioritizing reflection and cooperation over rapid-fire victory.

3. Revolutionary Tactile Features

• The game is designed for full accessibility, allowing disabled and non-disabled people to play together on equal footing.
• Braille & Embossed Text. Names and details are printed in both standard English text and Braille.
• Raised Bas-Relief Portraits. 3D-printed portraits of the authors allow visually impaired players to identify the figures through touch.
• Tactile Symbols. Instead of just icons, the cards use 3D symbols related to the author’s life. For example, a melting candle for John Milton (referencing a quote about his blindness).
• Edge Textures & Roundels. Distinct textures along the edges help with card orientation, and raised “roundels” hold point values.

4. Challenging the “Ableist” Canon

• The project critiques how literature is traditionally taught, highlighting that many “canonical” authors are rarely discussed through the lens of their disability.
• Beyond the Basics. Move past the common examples of John Milton or Helen Keller.
• Regional Recognition. The game highlights figures like Krishnadasa Kaviraja (author of Chaitanya Charitamrita), whose disability is central to his work but often omitted in standard Bengali literature syllabi.
• Expanding the Archive. Features diverse figures such as Ved Mehta, Judy-Lynn del Rey, Yoko Ota, Laura Bridgman, and Harriet Tubman.

5. Wider Context: Jadavpur’s Accessibility Drive

6. Educational Impact

• Universal Design for Learning (UDL). The game serves as a teaching tool for “Disability Studies” and “Indian Literature” courses.
• The “Misfit” Theory. It promotes the idea that disability occurs when the environment (like a standard deck of cards) fails to accommodate a body, rather than the body being inherently “broken.”
• Rulebook Biographies. Each deck comes with a rulebook containing short biographies, ensuring that every play session is also a history lesson on marginalized literary voices.