AHRC Centre for the Evolution of Cultural Diversity

What is the CECD?

The CECD is an AHRC funded research group dedicated to examining the evolutionary underpinnings of human cultural behaviour, past and present. more>

Schedule

Synopsis

Unit 1: Introduction to modern and historic dispersal processes
The first session will be a general introduction to dispersal processes to familiarise participants with modern and historic case studies and the wide range of techniques available to answer research questions.

Unit 2: Introduction to agent based modelling
An agent-based model (ABM) is a class of computational models for simulating the actions and interactions of autonomous agents (both, individual or collective entities such as organizations or groups) with a view to assessing their effects on the system as a whole. This introduction will explain how this modelling technique can be applied to study dispersal phenomena.

Unit 3: First steps in NetLogo
In this practical unit the students acquire necessary skill in NetLogo to set-up their own simple agent-based models.

Unit 4: Agent based modelling applied to contemporary and historical phenomena
In this unit we will show how the concept of agent based modelling is successfully applied to various archaeological and anthropological examples. We will discuss the research questions that can be answered by this kind of modelling approach.

Unit 5: Case study in NetLogo
In this practical unit students will use their newly acquired programming skills and develop an agent-based model for a specific case study. Alternatively students can start modelling their own case studies.

Unit 6: Introduction to continuous diffusion models
Classical mathematical models of diffusion processes describe the average behaviour of large numbers of individual trajectories in space. This approach has been widely used in the social and biological sciences to describe the spread of populations, traits, ideas etc. We will study the basic ideas behind this modelling approach and discuss how this technique can be used to study archaeologically or anthropologically relevant dispersal phenomena

Unit 7: First steps in Octave
The implementation of such diffusion models can be done conveniently in Octave, a free numerical software package. This unit familiarises the students with the software and explains the features of the Octave based program CultDiff which is designed to execute user-specified dispersal processes.

Unit 8 Continuous diffusion models applied to real world phenomena
This unit focuses on recent research results where diffusion models are applied to different case studies. In this context we will analyse the research questions this method is able to answer.

Unit 9: Case study in Octave
Based on the skills acquired in unit 7 the students will analyse a specific case study. Alternatively students can start modelling their own case studies.

Timetable

SS2 - Monday the 6th September 2010 to Friday the 10th September 2010:

Day	Time	Topic	Proposed Tutors
Mon 6th Sept	1pm-1.30pm	Registration
	1.30pm-2pm	Welcome and introduction into the course	(organizers)
	2pm-3pm	Tea/Coffee
	3pm-5pm	Unit 1: Introduction to modern and historic dispersal processes	James Steele, Mark Thomas
Tues 7th Sept	10am-1pm	Unit 2: Introduction to agent based modelling	Luke Premo
	1-3pm	Lunch
	3-6pm	Unit 3: First steps in NetLogo	Luke Premo
Wed 8th Sept	10am-12pm	Unit 4: Agent based modelling applied to contemporary and historical phenomena	Luke Premo
	12-2pm	Lunch
	2-4pm	Unit 5: Case study in NetLogo	Luke Premo
	5-6pm	Individual question session	Luke Premo
	8pm	Dinner
Thurs 9th Sept	10am-1pm	Unit 6: Introduction to continuous diffusion models	Anne Kandler
	1-3pm	Lunch
	3-5pm	Unit 7: First steps in Octave	Anne Kandler, Roman Unger
	5.30-6.30pm	Individual question session	Anne Kandler, Roman Unger
Fri 10th Sept	10am-12pm	Unit 8 Continuous diffusion models applied to real world phenomena	Anne Kandler
	12-2pm	Lunch
	2-4pm	Unit 9: Case study in Octave	Anne Kandler, Roman Unger
	5pm-7pm	Drinks

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