Spatial interactions in agent-based modeling

Agent Based Modeling (ABM) has become a widespread approach to model complex interactions. In this chapter after briefly summarizing some features of ABM the different approaches in modeling spatial inter-actions are discussed. It is stressed that agents can interact either indirectly through a shared environment and/or directly with each other. In such an approach, higher-order variables such as commodity prices, population dynamics or even institutions, are not exogenously specified but instead are seen as the re-sults of interactions. It is highlighted in the chapter that the understand-ing of patterns emerging from such spatial interaction between agents is a key problem as much as their description through analytical or simulation means