Computational Modeling for Social and Political Studies

2023/2024

Academic Year

ENG

Instruction in English

3

ECTS credits

Delivered at:

Department of Sociology

Course type:

Compulsory course

When:

1 year, 3 module

Instructor

Жеглов Сергей Александрович

Course Syllabus

Abstract

Agent-based modeling (ABM) is a simulation method where the mass behavior of different interacting actors determines the dynamics of the system as a whole. Scientists describe the rules of behavior of agents at the individual level, in particular how these agents decide to act and interact under certain conditions, while the general dynamics of the system arises as a result of the local choices interactions. Such models allow to overcome many limitations in management analysis and policy assessment. Where it is impossible to conduct a field experiment introducing certain measures, agent-based modeling is used for a realistic assessment of the consequences, since it is possible to take into account the heterogeneity of decisions and attitudes of individuals, their resistance to change, the evolution of attitudes, capabilities and changes in norms.

Learning Objectives

• To learn computational methods of experimental policy assessment

Expected Learning Outcomes

• A student can conduct what-if analysis, examine the results of political interventions under different assumptions on how people decide
• A student can formalize a decision-making model of agents in NetLogo code
• A student can formulate a micro-macro conceptual model explaining a complex empirical phenomenon
• A student can implement the computational agent-based model

Course Contents

• Modeling complex phenomena
• Individual decision-making
• Designing an agent-based model
• Computational experiments

Assessment Elements

• Activity
  Активность на занятиях
• Model
  Разработка на языке программирования Python агентно-ориентированной модели.
• Review
  Рецензия на статью, заявленным методом которой лежит агентно-ориентированное моделирование
• Project
  Каждый студент разработает дизайн своей агентно-ориентированной модели социологической или политологической тематики (без программного кода, но с формулами / псевдокодом).
• Project review
  Каждый проект получит двух рецензентов, которые подготовят свой отклик на работу и преподнесут его после презентации проекта.

Interim Assessment

• 2023/2024 3rd module
  0.2 * Activity + 0.15 * Model + 0.4 * Project + 0.1 * Project review + 0.15 * Review

Bibliography

Recommended Core Bibliography

• Uri Wilensky, & William Rand. (2015). An Introduction to Agent-Based Modeling : Modeling Natural, Social, and Engineered Complex Systems with NetLogo. The MIT Press.

Recommended Additional Bibliography

• The Oxford handbook of analytical sociology ed. by Peter Hedström . (2011).