MY580 Methods Short Course: Agent-Based Modeling with Dr Milena Tsvetkova
Date:
28/01/2026
Organised by:
London School of Economics and Political Science
Presenter:
Dr Milena Tsvetkova
Level:
Intermediate (some prior knowledge)
Contact:
Ellie Watson, methodology.comms@lse.ac.uk
Location:
View in Google Maps (WC2A 2AE)
Venue:
Data Science Institute
COL 1.06
Columbia House (Houghton Street Entrance)
Houghton Street
London
Description:
Training for PhD and MSc students in the design of social research, quantitative and qualitative analysis.
Agent-Based Modeling by Dr Milena Tsvetkova
The workshop will introduce students to agent-based models as a theory-construction tool in the social sciences. Agent-based models enable us to study the emergence of social phenomena in social systems from the behavior and interactions of a population of actors (people, organizations, states, etc.). The morning session will start with a brief introduction to complex systems, game-theoretic games and strategies, and Monte Carlo methods. We will then examine several fundamental agent-based models explaining social phenomena such as residential segregation, social contagion, collective action, opinion polarization, the emergence of cooperation, and network formation. In the afternoon session, we will introduce the NetLogo programming language and use it to modify and extend existing models. The workshop is suitable to both quantitative and qualitative researchers. No programming background or knowledge is required. Students are encouraged to bring their own laptops to the session.
Session Details
Time: 10:00 - 15:00 (12:00 - 13:00 Lunch break)
Date: 28 January 2026
Mode: In person at the LSE Data Science Institute
Please ring the doorbell
*If you have any access requirements, please let us know in advance by emailing methodology.research@lse.ac.uk
Please note that the course material will be distributed ahead of the short course when sign-up closes.
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Cost:
Free but must register to attend
Website and registration:
Region:
Greater London
Keywords:
Quantitative Data Handling and Data Analysis, AI and machine learning, agent-based models, social systems
Related publications and presentations from our eprints archive:
Quantitative Data Handling and Data Analysis
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