ESRC Conference on Diversity in macroeconomics: New perspectives from agent-based computational, complexity and behavioural economics

Conference Report now available conference report

University of Essex , UK
24-25 February 2014

This ESRC conference, cohosted with the Economics Department of the University of Essex and organized by
Sheri Markose, will critically examine established thinking and bring together a range of new perspectives on
identifying future directions  for macroeconomics and policy. It will address developments from at least three
new branches of economics:  agent-based computational, complexity and behavioural economics – arising
from highly interdisciplinary studies of computational and digital technologies, complexity sciences and
neuro-physiology of the brain.

Topics cover behavioural macroeconomics, financial macro-nets, agent based models for systemic risk and
how to deal with uncertainty and complexity in policy.  Speakers include  practitioners such as Neil Erickson
(Fed Reserve), Sujit Kapadia (Bank of England), David Miles (Monetary Policy Committee)  and James Richardson (HMT, ESRC Council), and academics, Michelle Baddeley, Doyne Farmer, Charles Goodhart, Ithzak Gilboa, Paul de Grauwe, Sheri Markose, Marcus Miller and KathyYuan.

In order to better understand herding and anti-herding that are key to boom-bust cycles, leading neuro-
scientists Vittorio Gallese and Scot Kelso will speak on mirror neurons and their role in social cognition,
mimetic behaviours and also anti-coordination necessary for innovation.

For further information see, http://www1.essex.ac.uk/economics/news_and_seminars/ESRC.aspx