An Agent-Based Model of Conflict in East Africa and the Effect of Watering Holes
Date
2010-03
Authors
Kennedy, W.G.
Hailegiorgis, A.B.
Rouleau, M.
Bassett, J.K.
Coletti, M.
Balan, G.C.
Gulden, T.
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Conference on Behavior Representation in Modeling and Simulation
Abstract
An agent-based model conflict between herdsmen in east Africa using the MASON agent-based simulation environment is presented. Herders struggle to keep their herds fed and watered in a GIS-based, spatially diverse environment with data-driven seasonal cycles. The model produces realistic carrying capacity dynamics and basically plausible conflict dynamics. With the rather basic set of behaviors, herders come into conflict over limited resources and one clan is eventually eliminated. We find that greater environmental scarcity leads to faster domination by a single group. At the same time, we note that there is tremendous variability from run to run in the rate and timing of the transition from a conflict-prone, multi-clan environment to hegemony of a single group.
Description
Keywords
Agent-based model, Conflict modeling, Computer simulation
Citation
Kennedy, W.G., Hailegiorgis, A.B., Rouleau, M., Bassett, J.K., Coletti, M., Balan, G.C., and Gulden, T. (2010) An Agent-Based Model of Conflict in East Africa and the Effect of Watering Holes, Proceedings of the 19th Conference on Behavior Representation in Modeling and Simulation, Charleston, SC. 21 - 24 March 2010, pp 274-281.