Workshop "Logical Methods for Social Concepts (LMSC)"

[emiliano.lorini at istc.cnr.it]

CALL FOR PAPERS
LOGICAL METHODS FOR SOCIAL CONCEPTS (LMSC'09)
http://www.irit.fr/~Andreas.Herzig/Esslli09

workshop organized as part of
European Summer School on Logic, Language and Information
ESSLLI 2009
http://esslli2009.labri.fr
20-25 July, 2009 in Bordeaux

Workshop Organizers:
Andreas Herzig ("herzig at irit.fr") and Emiliano Lorini ("lorini at irit.fr")

Workshop Purpose
Both computer science and the social sciences are interested in social concepts
such as power, cooperation, responsibility, delegation, trust, reputation,
convention, agreement, commitment, etc. The aim of this workshop is to study
whether logical approaches developed in the multi-agent system (MAS) domain
are adequate to express them in an accurate way. In particular, are existing
logical approaches sufficiently expressive to capture the main features of
these social concepts? Are the basic assumptions in the existing logics for MAS
too strong to capture the fundamental aspects of social phenomena? Are some
concepts relevant for social theory missing in these logics? The workshop is
intended to bring together logicians and social theorists in order to provide a
better understanding of the potentialities and limitations of logical methods
for the analysis of social reality. Its scope includes not only the technical
aspects of logics for multi-agent systems, but also multidisciplinary aspects
from social sciences (e.g. economics, sociology, social philosophy) and a
critical analysis of the existing logical frameworks for the specification of
social concepts.

Workshop Topics
The following are some examples of topics that are relevant for the workshop:

    * Logics of individual and collective powers;
    * Logical approaches to game theory;
    * Dynamic epistemic logics and logics of communication;
    * Logics of normative systems and institutions;
    * Logical approaches to trust and reputation;
    * Logical approaches to organizational concepts (e.g. roles, responsibility,
delegation);
    * Logics of social commitment and collective attitudes (e.g. common belief
and common knowledge, collective acceptance, joint intentions);
    * Logics for mechanism design.

Invited speakers:

    * Alexandru Baltag, Oxford University
    * Rineke Verbrugge, University of Groningen

Workshop Programme Committee (confirmed):

    * Thomas Ågotnes
    * Nicholas Asher
    * Johan van Benthem, Universities of Amsterdam and Stanford
    * Guido Boella
    * Jan Broersen
    * Cristiano Castelfranchi
    * Rosaria Conte
    * Pilar Dellunde
    * Frank Dignum
    * Nicola Dimitri
    * Hans van Ditmarsch, University of Otago, NZ
    * Davide Grossi
    * Andreas Herzig (co-chair), IRIT-CNRS, Toulouse
    * Wiebe van der Hoek, University of Liverpool
    * Jeff Horty
    * Andrew Jones
    * Jérôme Lang, IRIT-CNRS
    * Emiliano Lorini (co-chair), IRIT-UPS, Toulouse
    * Claudio Masolo
    * John-Jules Meyer
    * Matthias Nickles
    * Eric Pacuit
    * Henry Prakken
    * Antonino Rotolo
    * Lambèr Royakkers
    * Nicolas Troquard
    * Raimo Tuomela
    * Leon van der Torre

Submission Details:
Authors are invited to submit an extended abstract presenting an approach which
is relevant to the area of logic for multi-agent systems. Extended abstract
should have a maximum of 5 pages. The following formats are accepted: PDF, PS,
Word. (Latex-generated papers are preferred.) Please send your submission
electronically to both program chairs by the deadline listed below. The
submissions will be reviewed by the workshop’s program committee and additional
reviewers. The accepted papers will appear in the workshop proceedings published
by ESSLLI. The format for the final versions will be made available in due
course. We plan to organize a special issue of a journal based on selected
papers presented at the workshop.

Important dates:
Submissions: February 15, 2009
Notification: April 15, 2009
Preliminary programme: April 24, 2009
ESSLLI early registration: May 1, 2009
Final papers for proceedings: May 15, 2009
Final programme: June 15, 2009
Workshop dates: July 20-31, 2009

Local Arrangements:
All workshop participants including the presenters will be required to register
for ESSLLI. The registration fee for authors presenting a paper will correspond
to the early student/workshop speaker registration fee. Moreover, a number of
additional fee waiver grants will be made available by the OC on a competitive
basis and workshop participants are eligible to apply for those. There will be
no reimbursement for travel costs and accommodation. Workshop speakers who have
difficulty in finding funding should contact the local organizing committee to
ask for the possibilities for a grant.

Further Information:
About the workshop: http://www.irit.fr/~Andreas.Herzig/Esslli09
About ESSLLI: http://esslli2009.labri.fr