Publication Type: Session Paper

Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Review Method: Peer Reviewed
Abstract: Concerns over the environment, terrorism, ethnic violence and state disintegration have placed greater emphasis on exploring the possible connections between resource scarcity and inter-group violence. The wide range of divergent outcomes resulting from resource scarcity suggests that the ideational context of resource scarcity is critical in modeling this relationship. Developing an adequate model of the relationship between scarcity and violence must therefore contain elements that can reflect the origins, development and proliferation of ideas and alternative economic strategies in order to adequately explain real-world divergence in outcomes. Scarcity as a Complex Adaptive System (SCAS) is one such model. SCAS uses an agent-based model featuring cognitively complex agents on a differentiated, three-dimensional landscape to explore the relationship between resource scarcity and inter-group violence. In order to demonstrate the efficacy of SCAS requires translating the model into a computer simulation known as agentLand. AgentLand features adaptive agents that learn experientially via Holland’s Learning Classifier System, learn socially through communication and innovate through random strategy generation. The resulting virtual histories created by agentLand show that ideas, and communication are important, and the proliferation of different strategies across a landscape of adaptive agents can create a wide range of outcomes, paralleling diversity found in the real world. Results show that by using an ensemble of virtual histories, agentLand is able to generate plausible virtual scenarios. Most importantly, this research opens the door to a different way of conceptualizing and modeling complex macro-level events as networks of microinteractions.

Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Abstract: This paper examines the development of agent-based simulations of two phenomena important to judicial politics: appellate court decision-making and plea bargaining. We also speculate about the potential research use of agent-based modeling in the study of judicial politics.

In the first model, we look at theories of appellate judicial decision-making, and develop an agent-based model of appellate court decision-making, where the agents—judges—will be paired with other judges to decide cases, using different approaches to decision-making. The model will explore differences between the strategic-choice, attitudinal, and legal models of judicial decision-making. The plea bargaining model is designed from the perspective of the defendant, who is given the choice of taking a “bargain,” offered by the prosecutor or taking their chances in a trial. The model demonstrates the impact of eliminating plea bargaining in terms of court delay and shifts in prison populations.

Agent-based modeling is an approach to simulating the behavior of a complex system in which agents—individuals or groups—interact with each other and with their environment using simple rules governing the agents behavior. It is gaining popularity in many disciplines including political science. The models were created in Netlogo—a program that uses natural language commands to provide a sophisticated yet simple programming environment.

The paper reports on the challenges of creating agent-based models, discusses and evaluates their integration into law and social research, and discusses the use of this powerful modeling technique into better understanding both trial courts and appellate courts.

Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Abstract: I present a new theory -- sociogenomics -- to replace behavioralism and rational choice as the salient paradigm of political science inquiry. The paradigm is based on the relationship of DNA to the attitudes and behaviors of political actors.

Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Abstract: The disappointing progresses registered by the United Nations in the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals by the year 2015, coupled with the unceasing demographic explosion of developing countries, have triggered concerns about foreseeable socia