Why the study of international law needs agent-based modelling: An investigation of state responses to European Court of Human Rights judgments

Abstract We introduce agent-based modelling (ABM), an established computational simulation method, as an addition to the toolbox of international law and international dispute settlement research. With its ability to incorporate heterogeneous actors and their interactions, diverse environments, and time evolution into a bird’s eye perspective on a system and investigate its dynamics and emergent properties, we show how the method can contribute valuable insights into ongoing inquiries in international law research. We do so by offering (1) a detailed introduction to an agent-based model of compliance with European Court of Human Rights judgments, and (2) a broad overview of other topical questions in international law research and how they could be addressed through ABM: from investment arbitration to the development of human rights law.