Complexity Science | University Potsdam
@complexityup.bsky.social
The Complexity Science Group led by Professor Karoline Wiesner at the Institute for Physics and Astronomy at the University Potsdam.
Karoline Wiesner: https://www.karowiesner.org
University Website: https://www.uni-potsdam.de/de/complexity-science/
Karoline Wiesner: https://www.karowiesner.org
University Website: https://www.uni-potsdam.de/de/complexity-science/
6/6 🧵In March, we participated in a workshop by @csh.ac.at where political and us physical scientists exchanged and discussed their ideas and research face-to-face.
June 18, 2025 at 4:09 PM
6/6 🧵In March, we participated in a workshop by @csh.ac.at where political and us physical scientists exchanged and discussed their ideas and research face-to-face.
5/6 🧵 All that wouldn't be possible without the political groundwork provided by political scientists and the dataset provided by the V-Dem Institute. Our research depends on cooperation.
June 18, 2025 at 4:09 PM
5/6 🧵 All that wouldn't be possible without the political groundwork provided by political scientists and the dataset provided by the V-Dem Institute. Our research depends on cooperation.
4/6 🧵 The Diffusion map that we've talked about here on Bluesky is one of them.
It reveals that, apparently, political systems behave like physical systems. Countries, over time, form this well-defined map, and their movement across this map can tell a lot about the stability of the regime.
It reveals that, apparently, political systems behave like physical systems. Countries, over time, form this well-defined map, and their movement across this map can tell a lot about the stability of the regime.
June 18, 2025 at 4:09 PM
4/6 🧵 The Diffusion map that we've talked about here on Bluesky is one of them.
It reveals that, apparently, political systems behave like physical systems. Countries, over time, form this well-defined map, and their movement across this map can tell a lot about the stability of the regime.
It reveals that, apparently, political systems behave like physical systems. Countries, over time, form this well-defined map, and their movement across this map can tell a lot about the stability of the regime.
3/6 🧵Statistical analysis shows that there are states that differ in election quality, despite having a similar Electoral Democracy Index (EDI, @vdeminstitute.bsky.social).
Differences between autocratic regimes can thus be uncovered.
Differences between autocratic regimes can thus be uncovered.
June 18, 2025 at 4:09 PM
3/6 🧵Statistical analysis shows that there are states that differ in election quality, despite having a similar Electoral Democracy Index (EDI, @vdeminstitute.bsky.social).
Differences between autocratic regimes can thus be uncovered.
Differences between autocratic regimes can thus be uncovered.
2/6 🧵In the course of many years, we have worked on and with different models in this area.
As always, a model is not a depiction of reality, but an approximation. The utility of a model depends on the questions asked. That is why new models are needed to dive into new fields of research.
As always, a model is not a depiction of reality, but an approximation. The utility of a model depends on the questions asked. That is why new models are needed to dive into new fields of research.
June 18, 2025 at 4:09 PM
2/6 🧵In the course of many years, we have worked on and with different models in this area.
As always, a model is not a depiction of reality, but an approximation. The utility of a model depends on the questions asked. That is why new models are needed to dive into new fields of research.
As always, a model is not a depiction of reality, but an approximation. The utility of a model depends on the questions asked. That is why new models are needed to dive into new fields of research.
With a diverse set of programming projects and theoretical deep dives, the master's students learn to view known phenomena through the lense of CS. It isn't all physics, however. Students also get to discuss concepts like emergence and self-organization on a philosophical level.
May 30, 2025 at 11:07 AM
With a diverse set of programming projects and theoretical deep dives, the master's students learn to view known phenomena through the lense of CS. It isn't all physics, however. Students also get to discuss concepts like emergence and self-organization on a philosophical level.
Our bachelor's students are given a collection of publications on different matters of complexity: some that built the foundation, some representing the current status in an area. With some programming tasks here and there, the students develop an understanding of the development and history of CS.
May 30, 2025 at 11:07 AM
Our bachelor's students are given a collection of publications on different matters of complexity: some that built the foundation, some representing the current status in an area. With some programming tasks here and there, the students develop an understanding of the development and history of CS.
Living beings rely on one another. One species facing the threat of extinction affects other species as well.
Understanding the extent of ecological damages helps take measures against them.
With low computational costs, this model for the robustness of a #complex system can prove useful in future.
Understanding the extent of ecological damages helps take measures against them.
With low computational costs, this model for the robustness of a #complex system can prove useful in future.
May 26, 2025 at 10:27 AM
Living beings rely on one another. One species facing the threat of extinction affects other species as well.
Understanding the extent of ecological damages helps take measures against them.
With low computational costs, this model for the robustness of a #complex system can prove useful in future.
Understanding the extent of ecological damages helps take measures against them.
With low computational costs, this model for the robustness of a #complex system can prove useful in future.
Congratulations to Lea Faber, who dealt with models of global water systems and analyzed their behaviour using computationally efficient #AI!
And also congratulations to @soenbeier.bsky.social, who worked with data on politics and society from the @vdeminstitute.bsky.social among other datasets!
🧪
And also congratulations to @soenbeier.bsky.social, who worked with data on politics and society from the @vdeminstitute.bsky.social among other datasets!
🧪
May 19, 2025 at 3:14 PM
Congratulations to Lea Faber, who dealt with models of global water systems and analyzed their behaviour using computationally efficient #AI!
And also congratulations to @soenbeier.bsky.social, who worked with data on politics and society from the @vdeminstitute.bsky.social among other datasets!
🧪
And also congratulations to @soenbeier.bsky.social, who worked with data on politics and society from the @vdeminstitute.bsky.social among other datasets!
🧪
Unraveling 20th-century political regime dynamics using the physics of diffusion
arxiv.org
March 10, 2025 at 6:01 PM
9/10🧵
Her research is incredibly interesting and relevant for modern #politics.
This approach has the potential to provide a foundation for theories of political change, of emergence of conflict, and of extreme events in autocratic (and transitioning) regimes.
Her research is incredibly interesting and relevant for modern #politics.
This approach has the potential to provide a foundation for theories of political change, of emergence of conflict, and of extreme events in autocratic (and transitioning) regimes.
March 10, 2025 at 6:01 PM
9/10🧵
Her research is incredibly interesting and relevant for modern #politics.
This approach has the potential to provide a foundation for theories of political change, of emergence of conflict, and of extreme events in autocratic (and transitioning) regimes.
Her research is incredibly interesting and relevant for modern #politics.
This approach has the potential to provide a foundation for theories of political change, of emergence of conflict, and of extreme events in autocratic (and transitioning) regimes.
8/10🧵
In other words: the regime type of a country is correlated with its position on the manifold curve and its dynamics as it moves around over the years. It can be analyzed with the anomalous diffusion approach known in statistical physics.
In other words: the regime type of a country is correlated with its position on the manifold curve and its dynamics as it moves around over the years. It can be analyzed with the anomalous diffusion approach known in statistical physics.
March 10, 2025 at 6:01 PM
8/10🧵
In other words: the regime type of a country is correlated with its position on the manifold curve and its dynamics as it moves around over the years. It can be analyzed with the anomalous diffusion approach known in statistical physics.
In other words: the regime type of a country is correlated with its position on the manifold curve and its dynamics as it moves around over the years. It can be analyzed with the anomalous diffusion approach known in statistical physics.
7/10🧵
Large jumps (super-diffusive behaviour), characterised by the presence of extreme events, have been seen in destabilising autocracies.
Furthermore, small movements (sub-diffusive behaviour) have been identified in democracies and stable autocracies.
We see the history of a state in a graph!
Large jumps (super-diffusive behaviour), characterised by the presence of extreme events, have been seen in destabilising autocracies.
Furthermore, small movements (sub-diffusive behaviour) have been identified in democracies and stable autocracies.
We see the history of a state in a graph!
March 10, 2025 at 6:01 PM
7/10🧵
Large jumps (super-diffusive behaviour), characterised by the presence of extreme events, have been seen in destabilising autocracies.
Furthermore, small movements (sub-diffusive behaviour) have been identified in democracies and stable autocracies.
We see the history of a state in a graph!
Large jumps (super-diffusive behaviour), characterised by the presence of extreme events, have been seen in destabilising autocracies.
Furthermore, small movements (sub-diffusive behaviour) have been identified in democracies and stable autocracies.
We see the history of a state in a graph!
6/10🧵
As a country goes through political change, it moves along this curve. Its development can be traced, and jumps and static phases linked to real life events and phases!
Using tools from statistical physics, distinct types of behaviour have been identified in the data.
As a country goes through political change, it moves along this curve. Its development can be traced, and jumps and static phases linked to real life events and phases!
Using tools from statistical physics, distinct types of behaviour have been identified in the data.
March 10, 2025 at 6:01 PM
6/10🧵
As a country goes through political change, it moves along this curve. Its development can be traced, and jumps and static phases linked to real life events and phases!
Using tools from statistical physics, distinct types of behaviour have been identified in the data.
As a country goes through political change, it moves along this curve. Its development can be traced, and jumps and static phases linked to real life events and phases!
Using tools from statistical physics, distinct types of behaviour have been identified in the data.
5/10🧵
Taking 25 variables out of the V-Dem dataset describing the “democraticness” of each country every year and simplifying them using diffusion to fit in a three-dimensional space, the data forms a curve - not a cloud of points - summarising the whole dataset considered.
Surprising, isn't it?
Taking 25 variables out of the V-Dem dataset describing the “democraticness” of each country every year and simplifying them using diffusion to fit in a three-dimensional space, the data forms a curve - not a cloud of points - summarising the whole dataset considered.
Surprising, isn't it?
March 10, 2025 at 6:01 PM
5/10🧵
Taking 25 variables out of the V-Dem dataset describing the “democraticness” of each country every year and simplifying them using diffusion to fit in a three-dimensional space, the data forms a curve - not a cloud of points - summarising the whole dataset considered.
Surprising, isn't it?
Taking 25 variables out of the V-Dem dataset describing the “democraticness” of each country every year and simplifying them using diffusion to fit in a three-dimensional space, the data forms a curve - not a cloud of points - summarising the whole dataset considered.
Surprising, isn't it?