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Workshop on Agent-Based Computational Demography Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research Rostock, Germany, 21-23 February 2001. Agent-based simulation is a fast growing field in the social sciences. The goal of such techniques is to use simulation as a toolkit for building theories to explain socio-economic behavior. There is also a strong emphasis on micro-foundations and on the importance of interaction present. Thus, in contrast to traditional microsimulation models that have hitherto been used in demography, agent-based simulation is not necessarily strictly empirically-based: it relies on theoretical statements about the behavior of agents. In demography, simulation has been mainly used to develop forecasts, and the empirical content has been prevalent, along with a focus on statistically observed behavior (with some exceptions in the case of historical demography). Some scholars have advocated the use of simulation as an aid to theory-building in demography. Simulation-based methods may force researchers to be precise in the statement of their theories. Perhaps the gap between the two above-mentioned fields can be bridged, as has been done by some anthropologists who study demographic issues. And simulation might well lead to innovations in the area of demographic theory based on phenomena related to the social sciences. Further information and call for paper at: http://www.demogr.mpg.de/Events/Workshops/workshop_2001_agentbased.htm Francesco Billari ************************************************************* Dr. Francesco C. Billari Head, Independent Research Group on the Demography of Early Adulthood Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research Doberaner Str. 114 D-18057 Rostock (Germany) Phone: +49 - 381 - 2081-184 (direct) -232 (secretary) Fax: +49 -381 - 2081-269 or -484 mailto: [log in to unmask] http://www.demogr.mpg.de/General/Member/Billari.htm ************************************************************** %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%