Chaos and socio-spatial dynamics / D. S. Dendrinos, M. Sonis

This book presents a discrete time-space universal map of relative dynamics that characterizes the evolution and spatial distribution of populations based on their comparative temporal and locational advantages. Part I describes the general model and surveys the literature in social- spatial dynamics, especially recent developments in mathematics, the natural sciences, biology, mathematical ecology and the spatial socio- economic sciences. The social-spatial dynamics is viewed through four lenses: namely, absolute vs. relative behavior and continuous vs. discrete dynamics. Part II explores the analytical properties of a one-stock two-region discrete-time relative nonlinear map. Part III extends the analysis to the case where there is one stock and many regions. Part IV explores the properties of a multiple-stock, multiple-region model. This book is a useful and interesting resource book for researchers in applied mathematics. Its level of difficulty is within the reach of researchers in social, biological and natural sciences, although the book assumes that the reader has some knowledge of catastrophe theory. (Zentralblatt)