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by Matt Revelle

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    What is Social Complexity?

    Social complexity is the study of social phenomenon through the lens of complex systems.  This often includes building computational models of social behavior, some of which are related to computer science topics such as: cellular automaton, genetic algorithms, or neural networks.  Social network analysis is also related to social complexity as it is used to quantify relationships, roles, and organization amongst agents.

    Complexity-map-overview
    A few research organizations involved in social complexity:

    • Sante Fe Institute
    • CASOS at CMU
    • Center for Social Complexity at GMU
    • Center for the Study of Complex Systems at UMich

    A few books of interest:

    • The Evolution of Cooperation, by Robert Axelrod
    • Generative Social Science: Studies in Agent-Based Computational Modeling, by Joshua M. Epstein
    • Growing Artificial Societies: Social Science from the Bottom Up, by Joshua M. Epstein and Robert L. Axtell

    Two notable blogs:

    • Zero Intelligence Agents, by Drew Conway
    • Three-Toed Sloth, by Cosma Shalizi 

    This is a brief post that I hope to extend later.  Please feel free to make suggestions via comments, email, or twitter.

    (Figure source: Wikipedia)

    Tags » complexity sna social
    • 11 September 2010
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  • Matt Revelle's Posterous

    I explore data, write algorithms, and build systems.

    A few of my favorite things: computer science, machine learning, math, and social complexity.

  • About Matt Revelle

    I explore data, write algorithms, and build systems.

    A few of my favorite things: computer science, machine learning, math, and social complexity.

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