Review article

Simulations of International Relations

Hrvoje Paić

Abstract

The author introduces us to the survey of historical roots of the method of simulations of international relations, from ancient China and war games to the first modern international relations simulations in the USA in the 1950s. Following are the definitions of the expression "simulations of international relations" as well as terminology determined by fields similar to simulations.
The answers to: "Why do we use simulations" are given in the next section, which presents a survey of simulation as a method that enables and develops the international relations research, supports foreign policy decision-making processes, education and training of students and foreign policy professionals. The author classifies international relations simulations, using the most frequent criterion: the level of inclusion of human and computer factors in the simulation, resulting in three types: all-man, man-computer and all-computer simulations.
Finally, a survey of advantages and shortcomings of simulations provides an additional insight in simulations, as a critical analysis. The last part reviews various criteria of "measuring" the value of simulations.

Keywords

simulations; international relations; RAND

Hrčak ID:

286286

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/286286

Publication date:

15.12.2000.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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