Introduction to Computational Social Science: Principles and Applications

ISBN-13: 9783319501307 / Angielski / Twarda / 2017 / 607 str.

Claudio Cioffi-Revilla

Opis

The emerging field of computational social science (CSS) is devoted to the pursuit of interdisciplinary social science research from an information processing perspective, through the medium of advanced computing and information technologies.This reader-friendly textbook/reference is the first work of its kind to provide a comprehensive and unified Introduction to Computational Social Science. Four distinct methodological approaches are examined in particular detail, namely automated social information extraction, social network analysis, social complexity theory, and social simulation modeling. The coverage of each of these approaches is supported by a discussion of the historical context and motivations, as well as by a list of recommended texts for further reading.Topics and features: describes the scope and content of each area of CSS, covering topics on information extraction, social networks, complexity theory, and social simulations; highlights the main theories of the CSS paradigm as causal explanatory frameworks that shed new light on the nature of human and social dynamics; explains how to distinguish and analyze the different levels of analysis of social complexity using computational approaches; discusses a number of methodological tools, including extracting entities from text, computing social network indices, and building an agent-based model; presents the main classes of entities, objects, and relations common to the computational analysis of social complexity; examines the interdisciplinary integration of knowledge in the context of social phenomena.This unique, clearly-written textbook is essential reading for graduate and advanced undergraduate students planning on embarking on a course on computational social science, or wishing to refresh their knowledge of the fundamental aspects of this exciting field.

Recenzje

"This book is organized in a rigorous manner: each chapter includes an introductory abstract, a short chronology of the main achievements related to the chapter's topic, well-balanced formalized-intuitive knowledge content, a significant number of questions ... and finally a list of future readings. ... I think Claudio Cioffi-Revilla's work hits its assumed target: to be an affordable textbook for students and, at the same time, a useful support manual for instructors interested in learning or teaching computational social science." (Valentin V. Inceu, Computing Reviews, February, 2019)

"This well-organized book provides a timely and comprehensive systematic introduction to CSS. The chapters are relatively independent. Therefore, readers may quickly grasp related information by reading chapters selectively. ... this book is intended as a CSS textbook for graduate students ... ." (Chenyi Hu, Computing Reviews, August 11, 2014)

Spis treści

Introduction

Computation and Social Science

Automated Information Extraction

Social Networks

Social Complexity I: Origins and Measurement

Social Complexity II: Laws

Social Complexity III: Theories

Simulations I: Methodology

Simulations II: Variable-Oriented Models

Simulations III: Object-Oriented Models

O autorze

Dr. Claudio Cioffi-Revilla is University Professor and Professor of Computational Social Science, founding and former Chair of the Department of Computational Social Science, and founding and current Director of the Center for Social Complexity at George Mason University, VA, USA.

Blurb

This indispensable textbook/reference provides a comprehensive and reader-friendly introduction to the emerging field of computational social science (CSS). Presenting a unified treatment, the text examines in detail the four key methodological approaches of automated social information extraction, social network analysis, social complexity theory, and social simulation modeling. This updated and expanded new edition has been enhanced with numerous review questions and exercises to test what has been learned, deepen understanding through problem-solving, and to practice writing code to implement ideas and further explore the concepts.

Topics and features:

• Contains more than a thousand problem questions and exercises, together with a list of acronyms and a glossary of terms
  
• Presents an introduction to the main areas, core concepts, and historical development of CSS, providing examples of a range of CSS investigations
  
• Examines the key similarities and differences between computers and social systems, from an information-processing perspective
  
• Presents a focus on automated information extraction, beginning with its roots in linguistics
  
• Introduces the fundamental elements of social network analysis, and computational approaches to analyzing social complexity
  
• Discusses the measurement, scientific laws, and generative theories of social complexity in CSS
  
• Reviews the methodology of social simulations, covering in detail both variable-oriented and object-oriented models
  

This unique, clearly-written textbook is essential reading for graduate and advanced undergraduate students planning on embarking on a course on computational social science, or wishing to refresh their knowledge of the fundamental aspects of this exciting field.

Dr. Claudio Cioffi-Revilla is University Professor and Professor of Computational Social Science, founding and former Chair of the Department of Computational Social Science, and founding and current Director of the Center for Social Complexity at George Mason University, VA, USA.