Centre for Policy Modelling
We model anything... eventually!
Discussion Papers
- The Centre for Policy Modelling is now independent of the MMU · 19 August 2026
- Discussion paper: Some questions and alternative hypotheses about the direction of thought from belief to action choice or vice versa · 16 May 2019
- In press: Using agent-based simulation to inform policy – what could possibly go wrong? · 9 May 2019
- Hot off the press... Shaheen's Thesis: "Topic Discovery from Textual Data" · 18 February 2019
- Introduction to Special issue on "Simulation Models of Ethnocentrism and Diversity" published · 13 February 2019
All discussion papers »
News and Events
- OR Society Simulation SIG workshop on: "Don't Ignore the Qualitative, Stupid! Why Qualitative Data Matters in Simulations", 27th May 2020, Southampton · 4 March 2020
- Workshop@iEMS2020 on "New Tools or New Research Culture? Towards an Integration First approach to modelling social-environmental systems" · 17 February 2020
- CfA - BIGSSS Computational Social Science Summer School on Social Cohesion, July 6-17, 2020 · 16 January 2020
- 3rd Workshop Integrating Qualitative and Quantitative Evidence using Social Simulation, 28-29 May 2020, Southampton, UK · 13 January 2020
All past news »
News
We are back! Many CfPM pages are restored! 19 August 2026
OR Society Simulation SIG workshop on: "Don't Ignore the Qualitative, Stupid! Why Qualitative Data Matters in Simulations", 27th May 2020, Southampton 4 March 2020
Workshop@iEMS2020 on "New Tools or New Research Culture? Towards an Integration First approach to modelling social-environmental systems" 17 February 2020
@the 10th iEMSs conference, Modelling for Environmental Sustainability, 6-10th July 2020, Brussels. https://iemss2020.com/workshops/
CfA - BIGSSS Computational Social Science Summer School on Social Cohesion, July 6-17, 2020 16 January 2020
3rd Workshop Integrating Qualitative and Quantitative Evidence using Social Simulation, 28-29 May 2020, Southampton, UK 13 January 2020
For the details see: https://www.southampton.ac.uk/business-school/news/events/2020/05/28-29-iqqe-workshop.page
Special issue on "Agent-based modelling to study resilience in socio-ecological systems" is out 18 November 2019
In Ecological Complexity, December 2019. Edited by George van Voorn, Gert Jan Hofstede, Bruce Edmonds and Gary Polhill
Predicting Complex Social Systems - a Challenge! 5 November 2019
Following lively discussion at Social Simulation 2019, Gary Polhill, David Hales and I are issuing a challenge to those who think there are such examples to send us the documentation about these predictions.
CfP: Second Workshop on Integrating Qualitative and Quantitative Evidence Using Social Simulation 25 September 2019
Center for Policy Modelling, Manchester Metropolitan University, UK
November 21st and 22nd 2019
Definitive version of: "Different Modelling Purposes" paper published in JASSS 28 June 2019
Edmonds, B., Le Page, C., Bithell, M., Chattoe-Brown, E., Grimm, V., Meyer, R., Montañola-Sales, C., Ormerod, P., Root, H. and Squazzoni, F. (2019) Different Modelling Purposes. Journal of Artificial Societies and Social Simulation 22(3):6 <http://jasss.soc.surrey.ac.uk/22/3/6.html. DOI: 10.18564/jasss.3993
Newly Published: "Mapping the global network of fisheries science collaboration" 15 June 2019
By two CfPM students: Shaheen and Lia.
Syed, S., ní Aodha, L., Scougal, C. & Spruit, M. (online first,. 2019) Mapping the global network of fisheries science collaboration. Fish & Fisheries. https://doi.org/10.1111/faf.12379
Paper published: Co-developing beliefs and social influence networks - towards understanding socio-cognitive processes like Brexit 13 June 2019
Workshop on Cognitive Modules for NetLogo, 23 Sept @ SocSim 2019, Mainz 16 April 2019
Outcomes from the Workshop on "Integrating Qualitative and Quantitative Evidence using Social Simulation"... 14 April 2019
Special issue on "Simulation Models of Ethnocentrism" out on Online First @ SSCR 1 April 2019
All the papers in this special issue are now available via “Online First” at Social Science Computer Review. They will be formally published in an issue sometime in the future.
Workshop on "Integrating Qualitative and Quantitative Evidence using Social Simulation" 21 March 2019
A Lorentz workshop, 8th-12th April 2019, Leiden, NL.
Co-organised by :
- Melania Borit (Tromsø, Norway)
- Stephanie Dornschneider (Dublin, Ireland)
- Bruce Edmonds (Manchester, UK)
- Magnús Josefsson (Reykjavik, Iceland)
- Sara Mehryar (London, United Kingdom)
- Nanda Wijermans
Papers that came out of the workshop on "Cross-scale Resilience In Socio-Ecological Simulations" 22 January 2019
New Project on Opinion Dynamics 4 January 2019
“Towards realistic computational models of social influence dynamics” (ToRealSim) is a four-country (DE, NL, FR, UK) joint project under the Open Research Area initiative. We lead the UK part of this and will work with the University of Leicester, starting April 2019 for 3 years.
Social Simulation 2019 in Mainz, Germany 23-27th Sept 12 December 2018
The Social Simulation Conference 2019 will take place from 23 – 27 September 2019 at the Johannes Gutenberg University in Mainz, Germany.
New Project on Populism 28 November 2018
Lorentz Workshop on "Integrating Qualitative and Quantitative Evidence Using Social Simulation" 30 October 2018
8 Apr 2019 through 12 Apr 2019, Lorentz Centre, Leiden, NL. For more about this see http://cfpm.org/qual2rule/eoi-lorentz-workshop/ and http://lorentzcenter.nl/lc/web/2019/1116/info.php3?wsid=1116&venue=Snellius
Paul Ormerod lecture "Algorithmic economics: new approaches to macroeconomics" 24 October 2018
Paul Ormerod will talk at the MMU Business School @1pm on Thurs 8th November 2018, room BS 3.21. All welcome.
Paul Ormerod is a dissident economist, most famous for his first book “The Death of Economics” which critiqued the discipline in 1994. Apart from his many academic papers, he was one of the founders of the Henley Centre for Forecasting, and author of three more books: “Butterfly Economics”, “Why most things fail” and “-Positive Linking: How Networks and Incentives Can Revolutionise the World_”.
More about his activities can be found at http://paulormerod.com or the consultancy he co-founded with others: Volterra Partners which do a lot of work for the government and business sectors.
New paper: "Agent-based modelling of socio-ecological systems: Models, projects and ontologies" 3 September 2018
In Ecological Complexity (online first). This is an overview of the need for simulating Socio-Ecological systems in a truly integrated manner and discusses some of the methodological issues that arise from doing so. Includes discussion on the necessity of multiple models at times and the possible role of ontologies in helping to deal with model complexity. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecocom.2018.07.007
Just published in journal of conflict resolution: "Intragenerational Cultural Evolution and Ethnocentrism " 25 June 2018
A #cfpm_org paper that goes in a ‘perpendicular’ direction to that of (Axelrod & Hammond 2006). By David Hales and Bruce Edmonds . This open access publication is available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0022002718780481
Paper in RS Open Science: "Computational modelling for decision-making: where, why, what, who and how" 20 June 2018
#cfpm_org #bruceedmonds A paper has just been published in the Royal Society’s journal: Open Science, called Computational modelling for decision-making: where, why, what, who and how (Open Access). It is a summary of the UK Government Blackett report on Computational Modelling: Technological Futures.
New Journal: Socio-Cognitive Systems 9 June 2018
A new journal that looks at simulations and systems that integrate social and cognitive aspects into a single framework. We (Frank Dignum and I) hope to focus and stimulate research which does not just look at one side (cognitive or social) with only a nod to the other. Much of human cognition is fundamentally social and makes no sense away from its social context. Much social phenomena can only occur (and thus be understood) when there is sufficient cognitive hooks (e.g. context-sensitivity or face recognition). Thus we hope to focus and stimulate research which does not just look at one side (cognitive or social) with only a nod to the other, but integrates the two aspects and understands them together.
Springer Home page is at: https://www.springer.com/computer/ai/journal/42419 #cfpm_org #scs #bruceedmonds
CfP: Workshop on "Socio-Cognitive Systems: Computational and Formal models" 19 March 2018
Call for papers for a workshop on “Socio-Cognitive Systems: Computational and Formal models”, to be held as part of FAIM2018 (Federated AI Meeting which includes AAMAS, ICML, ICCBR and SoCS). To happen at Stockholmsmässan, Stockholm July 9-19. 2018.
Details at: http://cfpm.org/scs18/
Social Simulation in Stockholm, 20-24th August 7 February 2018
The biggest and best conference on social simulation in the world, this year in Stockholm. Early Bird Registration: before 1st August. For more details see: http://ssc2018.dsv.su.se
Social Simulation 2018, 20-24th August, Stockholm 21 December 2017
Second edition of the SSC Handbook now available 19 December 2017
Slides and abstracts from workshop on Computational Models of Ethnocentrism and Diversity 27 June 2017
Call for participation and Program for the workshop on: computational models of ethnocentrism and diversity, 7/8 June Manchester 12 May 2017
Slides and posters from the Workshop on: Cross-Scale Resilience in Socio-Ecological Simulations 5 May 2017
Workshop@SSC2017: Using qualitative data to inform behavioral rules in modelling 24 April 2017
Monday the 25th of September 2017. Duration: 90 minutes, @ Social Simulation Conference 2017, Dublin, Ireland. ESSA SIG Using qualitative data to inform behavioural rules.
A special issue of Scientometrics on "Simulating the processes of science, technology, and innovation" 2 February 2017
The special issue edited by Katy Börner, Bruce Edmonds, Staša Milojević & Andrea Scharnhorst of Scientometrics on “Simulating the processes of science, technology, and innovation” is now out. It is in Volume 110, Issue 1, January 2017 at: http://link.springer.com/journal/11192/110/1?wt_mc=
Some Results of the SCID project: Staging Abstraction of Complex Simulations 30 September 2016
Three papers that summarise the approach developed in the SCID project: staged abstraction from complex descriptive simulation (with relevance) to simpler models (with rigour).
Expressions of interest for participation in future workshop on: Cross-scale Resilience In Socio-Ecological Simulations 18 August 2016
We are intending to submit an application for a Lorentz application on the above topic, aimed at getting a small (25) group) of motivated researchers together on this topic, aiming for a workshop early May 2017.
Slides from the workshop on the "Simulation of fisheries and coastal fisheries" 9 June 2016
This workshop happened on the 6/7th June 2016, Manchester Metropolitan University. The slides from most of the talks are now available.
CfP for a workshop on "Social simulation of fisheries and coastal management" 12 February 2016
A 2-day workshop on Social simulation of fisheries and coastal management held in Manchester, 6/7 June 2016.
Workshop on “Taking stock of peer review” and "Simulating the Social Processes of Science II" 11 February 2016
PEERE Meeting on “Taking stock of peer review” & 2nd Workshop on Simulating the Social Processes of Science (SSPOS II), 8th – 11th March 2016, Valencia, Spain.
2 ABM PhD scholarships at the Centre for Policy Modelling 5 February 2016
2 PhD Scholarships available now on Integrating Data Mining and Agent-based simulation and Modelling the Dynamics of Town Centre Change. Deadline 9am (GMT) on the 21 March 2016.
Free 2-Day Introduction to Agent-Based Modelling, 3&4 Nov, Manchester 30 September 2015
Special section of JASSS published on "Using Qualitative Evidence to Inform the Specification of Agent-Based Models"! 2 February 2015
Workshop on "Modelling Routines", Manchester 25th November 25 November 2014
CfP special issue of Scientometrics on: "Simulating the Social Processes of Science" 15 October 2014
New edited book: the Complexity of Social Norms 15 October 2014
New "Introduction to ABM" course 8 July 2014
Qualitative Evidence to inform Agent Rules: special issue and conference session 15 October 2013
Handbook: Simulating Social Complexity 22 August 2013
A handbook on Simulating Social Complexity
edited by Bruce Edmonds and Ruth Meyer
in memory of Herbert Simon