Spring Semester 2010

USC Mathematical Modeling of Social-Economic Behavior

Links:

Summary:
Natural sciences have historically benefited a lot from abstract mathematical models which allow precise predictions and simulations that complement and sometimes even replace experimental verification. Many laws of Physics are in mathematical form, such a tendency is present in Engineering and Life Sciences as well. The value of mathematical models is not undisputed, especially, if it comes to social behavior of individuals and groups, and economic and political processes. Still, quantitative methods are on the rise, which is acknowledged by Nobel prizes in Economics that go to specialists in mathematical economy and even mathematicians from time to time. The USC will introduce to some of the successes, limitations, and challenges in this area in an exemplary way. Topics to be covered could be: conflict management and war theories, migration and urbanization processes, language models, economic planning and negotiation, examples from financial markets, dynamics of social groups, opinion formation, etc. The mathematical tools (functional models, differential equations, graph theory, discrete and continuous optimization, game theory, probability, to name a few) will be presented in a light (hopefully, also entertaining) format. The course will be designed such that both students from SES and SHSS could enjoy it: SHSS students can claim that they learned some Math without being punished too much, and SES students will have a chance to see that there are many exciting problems in the social sciences they could be confronted with in the long run of their career. Although there is no formal prerequisite for this USC, we assume that everybody is willing to delve into rigorous quantitative reasoning, accept math notation, and learn new things along the way. Having previously passed ESM1 or similar math classes might be a good basis to start from.

Reading:

Contact Information:
Instructors: Adele Diederich (AD), Peter Oswald (PO)
Email: AD: a.diederich@jacobs-university.de, PO: p.oswald@jacobs-university.de
URL: AD: http://wwwback.jacobs-university.de/directory/adiederich/, PO: http://www.faculty.jacobs-university.de/poswald
Phone: AD: x3431, PO: x3179
Office hours:   AD: By appointment in Research IV, 117, PO: Tuesday 5:15-6:30pm (or by appointment) in Research I, 113
Teaching assistants: Raluca Havarneanu, Eugenia Rosu (HW grading, Math assistance), Maria Suciu (Final Project coordination and assistance)


Time and Place:
Lectures:    Tue 7:15-10pm in Conrad Naber Hall

Grading:
There will be three homework assignments (30% of final grade) and a final group project (70%) which consists of a group presentation in class (30%) and a written report (40%). Homework is individual work. For the final project, groups of normally 5 students will be formed (with minimum 1 student from SHSS and minimum 1 student from SES). Until the beginning March, you may form groups on your own initiative; if you have formed such a group, agree on a group coordinator, and let her/him send a list of names (last, first) and majors of all group members by e-mail to the Instructor's email address. After beginning of March, the remaining students will be organized into groups by us. The standard scale (95% (or more) = 1.0 in steps of 5% down to less than 40% = 5.0) will be applied to assign the final grade.

Last modified: 2008/02/02
This page: http://www.faculty.jacobs-university.de/poswald/Teaching/USC/indexUSC08.htm
Peter Oswald (p.oswald@jacobs-university.de)