ABSTRACT
This chapter begins by discussing participation and decision making. It explores participatory modeling, social learning, the practical mechanics of participatory modeling, and descriptions of modeling techniques. The chapter discusses complexity and participatory modeling. It focuses on the paramount importance of incorporating the perspectives of social actors whose decisions and actions can alter a system's trajectory. The chapter argues that conflict modeling efforts can fail when models are unable to adequately represent environmental or economic realities, or gain stakeholder trust and buy-in. Given the complexity and often contentious nature of environmental conflicts, successful resolution requires a transparent and inclusive process for exchanging ideas. The chapter also explores social learning aspects of participatory modeling, as well as practical issues during the modeling process, including best practices and stakeholder selection. It examines different modeling approaches and tools and introduces concepts around complexity and participatory modeling.
