Agent-Based Modeling and Historical Simulation

This essay discusses agent-based modeling (ABM) and its potential as a technique for studying history, including literary history. How can a computer simulation tell us anything about the past? This essay has three distinct goals. The first is simply to introduce agent-based modeling as a computational practice to an audience of digital humanists, for whom it remains largely unfamiliar despite signs of increasing interest. Second, to introduce one possible application for social simulation by comparing it to conventional, print-based models of the history of book publishing. Third, and most importantly, I'll sketch out a theory and preliminary method for incorporating social simulation into an on-going program of humanities research.