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Introduction to Computational Modeling of Social Systems
Last Updated: 2026-02-05 15:24:20
Abstract
This course focuses on agent-based modeling, which is a particular type of computational methodology that allows the researcher to create, analyze, and experiment with, artificial worlds populated by agents that interact in non-trivial ways. In such complex adaptive systems, computation is used to simulate agents’ cognitive processes and behavior in order to explore emergent macro phenomena.
Objective
This course allows the students to - become familiar with the paradigm - master the RePast libraries - construct a simple computational model - start to think about how to apply the method to your own research puzzle This course is designed for students who have programming experience in at least one object-oriented programming language. Course requirements consist of four assignments to be completed during the course. To obtain full credit for this course, each assignment has to achieve a pass rate of at least 50%.
Content
The course starts with an introduction to the rationale and principles of agent-based modeling, followed by a brief survey of object-oriented programming in Java. The remainder of the semester focuses on a Java-based simulation framework called Repast. Throughout the semester, examples drawn from political science, economics, and sociology will be covered.
Resources
Literature
Recommended readings about agent-based modeling * Axelrod, Robert. 1997. The Complexity of Cooperation: Agent-Based Models of Competition and Collaboration. Princeton: Princeton University Press. * Casti, John L. 1997. Would-Be Worlds: How Simulation Is Changing the Frontiers of Science. New York: Wiley. * Cederman, Lars-Erik. 1997. Emergent Actors in World Politics: How States and Nations Develop and Dissolve. Princeton: Princeton University Press. * Epstein, Joshua M. and Robert Axtell. 1996. Growing Artificial Societies: Social Science From the Bottom Up. Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Press. * Holland, John H. 1995. Hidden Order: How Adaptation Builds Complexity. Reading, Mass.: Addison-Wesley. Recommended web pages on complexity and computational modeling * The Santa Fe Institute, the “Mecca of complexity studies”: http://www.santafe.edu/ * The Center for the Study of Complex Systems at the University of Michigan: http://www.pscs.umich.edu/ See especially Rick Riolo’s home page: http://www.pscs.umich.edu/PEOPLE/rlr-home.html for details on agent-based modeling, and Robert Axelrod’s page: http://www-personal.umich.edu/~axe/ for general references to complexity. * The Center on Social and Economic Dynamics, Brookings Institution: http://www.brook.edu/dybdocroot/ES/dynamics/models/ * The European web sites on “Computer simulation of societies” http://www.soc.surrey.ac.uk/research/simsoc/ and the “European Social Simulation Association” http://essa.cfpm.org/ offer interesting links. * Leigh Tesfatsios provides a comprehensive web page on computational economics: http://www.econ.iastate.edu/tesfatsi/ace.htm * See also the Journal of Artificial Societies and Social Simulation: http://jasss.soc.surrey.ac.uk/JASSS.html and the Journal for Computational and Mathematical Theory (CMOT) http://www.kluweronline.com/issn/1381-298X (from where PDF files can be downloaded) Java resources We will rely extensively on the following textbook, which offers the best introduction for those who already have previous programming experience, especially in C and C++: * Eckel, Bruce. 2003. Thinking in Java. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. See also http://www.mindview.net/ Alternatively, a very good introduction to Java programming for beginners is: * Schildt, Herbert. 2001. Java2: A Beginner’s Guide. Osborne McGraw Hill. * The RePast web page contains free software and documentation: http://repast.sourceforge.net * See also Sun’s “New to Java Programming Center”: http://developer.java.sun.com/developer/onlineTraining/new2java/ and their Java Tutorial: http://java.sun.com/docs/books/tutorial/index.html
General Information
- Language
- English
- Levels
- DS , MSC
- Frequency
- Yearly recurring
Examination
- Type
- graded semester performance
Course Components
| Type | Title | Time & Place | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| seminar |
Introduction to Computational Modeling of Social Systems
Does not take place this semester.
|
No time listed | 2 h weekly |
Offered In
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Humanities, Social and Political Sciences (In order to be awarded credits, please register under "Pflichtwahlfach GESS"!. The language courses are offered by the ETH and University of Zurich Language Center.)
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