Skip to main content

Towards a Bayesian Analysis of Migration Pathways Using Chain Event Graphs of Agent Based Models

  • Conference paper
  • First Online:
New Frontiers in Bayesian Statistics (BAYSM 2021)

Part of the book series: Springer Proceedings in Mathematics & Statistics ((PROMS,volume 405))

Included in the following conference series:

Abstract

Agent-Based Models (ABMs) are often used to model migration and are increasingly used to simulate individual migrant decision-making and unfolding events through a sequence of heuristic if-then rules. However, ABMs lack the methods to embed more principled strategies of performing inference to estimate and validate the models, both of which are of significant importance for real-world case studies. Chain Event Graphs (CEGs) can fill this need: they can be used to provide a Bayesian framework which represents an ABM accurately. Through the use of the CEG, we illustrate how to transform an elicited ABM into a Bayesian framework and outline the benefits of this approach.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 129.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. An, L., Grimm, V., Sullivan, A., Turner II, B., Malleson, N., Heppenstall, A., Vincenot, C., Robinson, D., Ye, X., Liu, J., et al.: Challenges, tasks, and opportunities in modeling agent-based complex systems. Ecol. Modell. (2021). https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S030438002100243X

  2. Barclay, L., Hutton, J., Smith, J.Q.: Refining a Bayesian network using a chain event graph. Int. J. Approximate Reasoning 54, 1300–1309 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijar.2013.05.006

    Article  MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  3. Bunnin, F.O., Shenvi, A., Smith, J.Q.: Network modelling of criminal collaborations with dynamic Bayesian steady evolutions (2020). ArXiv preprint arXiv:2007.04410

  4. Collazo, R.A., Görgen, C., Smith, J.Q.: Chain Event Graphs. CRC Press (2018)

    Google Scholar 

  5. Freeman, G., Smith, J.: Bayesian MAP model selection of chain event graphs. J. Multivar. Anal. 102(7), 1152–1165 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmva.2011.03.008

    Article  MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  6. Freeman, G., Smith, J.Q.: Dynamic staged trees for discrete multivariate time series: forecasting, model selection and causal analysis. Bayesian Anal. 6(2) (2011). https://doi.org/10.1214/11-ba610

  7. Grimm, V., Berger, U., Bastiansen, F., Eliassen, S., Ginot, V., Giske, J., Goss-Custard, J., Grand, T., Heinz, S.K., Huse, G., et al.: A standard protocol for describing individual-based and agent-based models. Ecol. Modell. 198(1–2), 115–126 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2006.04.023

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Grimm, V., Revilla, E., Berger, U., Jeltsch, F., Mooij, W.M., Railsback, S.F., Thulke, H.H., Weiner, J., Wiegand, T., DeAngelis, D.L., et al.: Pattern-oriented modeling of agent-based complex systems: lessons from ecology. Science (2005). https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.1116681

  9. Heckbert, S., Baynes, T., Reeson, A.: Agent-based modeling in ecological economics. Ann. N. Y. Acad. Sci. (2010). https://nyaspubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1749-6632.2009.05286.x

  10. Heckerman, D., Geiger, D., Chickering, D.M.: Learning Bayesian networks: the combination of knowledge and statistical data. Mach. Learn. 20(3), 197–243 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/bf00994016

    Article  MATH  Google Scholar 

  11. Hinkelmann, F., Murrugarra, D., Jarrah, A.S., Laubenbacher, R.: A mathematical framework for agent based models of complex biological networks. Bull. Math. Biol. 73(7), 1583–1602 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11538-010-9582-8

    Article  MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  12. International Labour Organisation: Global estimates of modern slavery: forced labour and forced marriage. Tech. Rep, International Labour Organisation (2017)

    Google Scholar 

  13. Klabunde, A., Willekens, F.: Decision-making in agent-based models of migration: state of the art and challenges. Eur. J. Popul. (2016). https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10680-015-9362-0

  14. Lewis, H., Peter, D., Hodkinson, S., Louise, W.: Hyper-precarious lives: Migrants, work and forced labour in the Global North. Prog. Human Geogr. 39(5), 580–600 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1177/0309132514548303

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Mcalpine, A., Kiss, L., Zimmerman, C., Chalabi, Z.: Agent-based modeling for migration and modern slavery research: a systematic review. J. Comput. Soc. Sci. 4(1), 243–332 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42001-020-00076-7

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Schulze, J., Müller, B., Groeneveld, J., Grimm, V.: Agent-based modelling of social-ecological systems: achievements, challenges, and a way forward. J. Artif. Soc. Soc. Simul. 20(2) (2017). https://doi.org/10.18564/jasss.3423

  17. Shafer, G.: The Art of Causal Conjecture. MIT Press (1996)

    Google Scholar 

  18. Shenvi, A., Smith, J.Q.: A Bayesian Dynamic Graphical Model for Recurrent Events in Public Health (2019). ArXiv preprint arXiv:1811.08872

  19. Shenvi, A., Smith, J.Q.: Propagation for Dynamic Continuous Time Chain Event Graphs (2020). ArXiv preprint arXiv:2006.15865

  20. Smith, J.Q., Anderson, P.E.: Conditional independence and chain event graphs. Artif. Intell. 172(1), 42–68 (2008)

    Article  MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  21. Thwaites, P.A., Smith, J.Q.: A graphical method for simplifying Bayesian games. Reliab. Eng. Syst. Saf. (2017). https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0951832017305355

  22. United Nations: The 17 goals | sustainable development. Tech. rep., U. N. (2021). https://sdgs.un.org/goals

  23. United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime: global report on trafficking in persons 2016. Tech. rep., UNODC (2017). https://www.unodc.org/documents/data-and-analysis/glotip/2016_Global_Report_on_Trafficking_in_Persons.pdf

Download references

Acknowledgements

Peter Strong was supported by the EPSRC and the MRC [grant number EP/L015374/1]. Alys McAlpine was supported by UKRI [grant number ES/V006681/1] Jim Q. Smith was funded by the EPSRC [grant number EP/K03 9628/1]. We would like to thank Aditi Shenvi for her valuable comments.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Peter Strong .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2022 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this paper

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this paper

Strong, P., McAlpine, A., Smith, J.Q. (2022). Towards a Bayesian Analysis of Migration Pathways Using Chain Event Graphs of Agent Based Models. In: Argiento, R., Camerlenghi, F., Paganin, S. (eds) New Frontiers in Bayesian Statistics. BAYSM 2021. Springer Proceedings in Mathematics & Statistics, vol 405. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-16427-9_3

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics