Cross-disciplinary views on modelling complex systems

Abstract

This paper summarises work within an interdisciplinary collaboration which has explored different approaches to modelling complex systems in order to identify and develop common tools and techniques. We present an overview of the models that have been explored and the techniques that have been used by two of the partners within the project. On the one hand, there is a partner with a background in agent-based social simulation, and on the other, one with a background in equationbased modelling in theoretical physics. Together we have examined a number of problems involving complexity, modelling them using different approaches and gaining an understanding of how these alternative approaches may guide our own work. Our main finding has been that the two approaches are complimentary, and are suitable for exploring different aspects of the same problems.