This book covers the latest advances in applying agent-based modelling in social sciences. The Social Simulation Conference is the major global conference devoted to this topic. It is aimed at promoting social simulation and computational social science. 

This year’s special theme is “Social simulation in a socio-technical context: embracing societies’ complexities.” 

The primary audience of this book are scholars and practitioners in computational social sciences including economics, business, sociology, politics, psychology and urban studies.

Harko Verhagen is a professor at the Department of Computer and Systems Sciences of Stockholm University where he also defended his Ph.D. He is author of over 110 peer-reviewed conference and journal papers as well as editor of several books. His research addresses norms and other social science concepts for artificial agents, social aspects of computer gaming, agent-based social simulation and ethics and AI design and development.

Emile Chappin is an associate professor of Energy Systems & Simulation and head of the Energy and Industry Group of the department Engineering Systems and Services of the Faculty Technology Policy and Management of Delft University of Technology. He is also the co-director of the TPM Energy Transition Lab. In his research, Emile connects developments in modelling methodology to an understanding of complex socio-technical energy systems in order to better understand how to model analyse and design (parts) of the energy transition. His primary interests are to unravel the possible long-term dynamics of energy systems and how they are shaped by energy policies.

Geeske Scholz has held academic positions in Germany, Scotland and the Netherlands. Since June 2025, she has been working as a researcher at the University of Bremen, leading the Network and Stakeholders subgroup. Her research focuses on the analysis of social complexity, with particular attention to social learning, social identity and group dynamics. A central aspect of her work is the formalisation of social science theory in agent-based models.