Mason Rebeland: An Agent-Based Model of Politics, Environment, and Insurgency

International Studies Review, Vol. 12, pp. 31–52, 2010

22 Pages Posted: 14 Nov 2010 Last revised: 17 Nov 2010

See all articles by Claudio Cioffi-Revilla

Claudio Cioffi-Revilla

George Mason University - Center for Social Complexity; American Association for the Advancement of Science; American Mathematical Society; Society for Political Methodology

Mark Rouleau

George Mason University - Center for Social Complexity; Krasnow Institute for Advanced Study

Multiple version iconThere are 2 versions of this paper

Date Written: March 18, 2010

Abstract

Social simulation models from computational social science are beginning to provide significant advances in terms of implementing more complex social, human, and natural dynamics that are characteristic of how countries operate in the real world. In particular, increasingly realistic agent-based models can improve capacity for early warning, understanding, and prediction. The MASON RebeLand model presents three innovations over earlier models: (i) an explicit polity model with politically complete structure and processes; (ii) social and natural model components within an integrated socio-natural system; and (iii) generative dynamics where insurgency and the state of the polity (stable, unstable, failing, failed, and recovering) occur as emergent phenomena under a range of social and environmental conditions. Three scenarios are demonstrated, showing stable, unstable, and failing polity conditions. The MASON computational system for agent-based and network modeling also permits additional experiments and extensions.

Keywords: state failure, political stability, agent-based model, MASON, East Africa, computational social science, social simulation

Suggested Citation

Cioffi-Revilla, Claudio and Rouleau, Mark, Mason Rebeland: An Agent-Based Model of Politics, Environment, and Insurgency (March 18, 2010). International Studies Review, Vol. 12, pp. 31–52, 2010, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1574533

Claudio Cioffi-Revilla (Contact Author)

George Mason University - Center for Social Complexity ( email )

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Coral Gables, FL 33134
United States

HOME PAGE: http://socialcomplexity.gmu.edu

American Association for the Advancement of Science ( email )

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American Mathematical Society ( email )

Society for Political Methodology ( email )

Mark Rouleau

George Mason University - Center for Social Complexity; Krasnow Institute for Advanced Study ( email )

4400 University Drive
Fairfax, VA 22030
United States