Complexity in Social Science, Summer School

[Dugdale]

Hi Everyone,

I thought this may be of interest to some of you since a lot of our work in the COSI project involves the modelling and simulation of complex systems (often with Swarm). Sorry if you receive multiple posts.

Julie

Complexity in Social Science (COSI) SUMMER SCHOOL

30th June to 6th July, 2002, Chania, Crete.

Further details of the Summer School on the COSI summer school web pages:

http://www.irit.fr/COSI/summerschool/index.html

Introduction

The complexity paradigm is based on a detailed description of the interactions between elements of the system and between the system and its environment, rather than on a purely functional description of building blocks in abstract of its relationship with the external world. When applied to the social sciences this approach allows us to develop new ways of thinking about social processes and complex organisations. Armed with a greater understanding of such situations and with the appropriate tools, we can help to redesign complex socio-organisational systems for greater efficiency and safety.

Aims and Scope

The Summer School will provide an introduction to the essential concepts of complex systems theory, such as non- determinism, emergence, self-organisation, chaos, etc. Using examples from the social sciences, speakers will illustrate the practical application of complex systems theory and show the benefits that such an approach may bring. Techniques for analysing, modelling and simulating complex social systems will be presented. Special discussion groups will focus on particular aspects of the theory and explore how complex systems theory can complement existing analytical approaches. Practical laboratory sessions will are scheduled to illustrate specific aspects of complex systems theory.

Intended Audience

The Summer School is intended for doctoral students and post-doctoral researchers from all disciplines who are interested in understanding the fundamental concepts of complex systems theory and its practical application in the social sciences.

Programme Themes include:

- Notions about Complex Systems Theory (including Chaos, non-determinism etc.)

- Lessons from distributed system theory and Artificial Life (including Emergence, Self organisation, Evolutionary computation, Agent based systems).

- Examples in the Social Sciences (including Ergonomics, Safety Critical Systems, Economics, Psychology, Cognition, Education).

- Tools for Social Scientists for Complexity Modelling (including Intelligent agents, Genetic algorithms, Neural networks, Cellular automata, etc.).

- Analysing Data from Complex Work Settings (Methods, tools, etc.)

- Special Discussion Groups

- Computer Exercises & Workshops

Guest Speaker: Professor Cristiano Castelfranchi

More information (including on-line registration) can be found on the COSI Summer School Web Pages: http://www.irit.fr/COSI/summerschool/index.html

 

Best regards

Julie Dugdale

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Main web page of the COSI project: http://www.irit.fr/COSI/

COSI is coordinated by Bernard PAVARD.

GRIC IRIT (Groupe de Recherche en Ingénierie Cognitive, Instit de Recherche en Informatique de Toulouse) UPS-CNRS (UMR 5505) 118, Route de Narbonne, 31062 Toulouse, FRANCE. http://www.irit.fr/GRIC/