{'fraction_non_alphanumeric': 0.011015911872705019, 'fraction_numerical': 0.0, 'mean_word_length': 5.440944881889764, 'pattern_counts': {'":': 0, '<': 0, '<?xml version=': 0, '>': 0, 'https://': 0, 'lorem ipsum': 0, 'www.': 0, 'xml': 0}, 'pii_count': 0, 'substrings_counts': 0, 'word_list_counts': {'cursed_substrings.json': 0, 'profanity_word_list.json': 0, 'sexual_word_list.json': 0, 'zh_pornsignals.json': 0}}
Introducing simple models of social systems

Learning to model social systems can foster critical thinking about the applications of mathematical methods to social issues and also lead to professional opportunities. I introduce an intriguing simple model proposed by Thomas Schelling to understand urban segregation. It shows that even when individual agents seek mixed neighborhoods, they can collectively create a segregated city that makes everyone unhappy. The model can be presented as a simple role-playing game or by a computer program. At a more advanced level, the methods of statistical physics provide a way to calculate equilibrium states corresponding to segregated configurations. I also discuss why physics inspired models have difficulties in understanding the complex dynamics of real social systems.