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This book offers an introduction to the design and application of participatory systems modeling with diverse communities. Topics span the entire process, from initial engagement and conceptualization to model building, analysis, and project evaluation.

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Community Based System Dynamics introduces researchers and practitioners to the design and application of participatory systems modeling with diverse communities. The book bridges community- based participatory research methods and rigorous computational modeling approaches to understanding communities as complex systems. It emphasizes the importance of community involvement both to understand the underlying system and to aid in implementation. Comprehensive in its scope, the volume includes topics that span the entire process of participatory systems modeling, from the initial engagement and conceptualization of community issues to model building, analysis, and project evaluation. Community Based System Dynamics is a highly valuable resource for anyone interested in helping to advance social justice using system dynamics, community involvement, and group model building, and helping to make communities a better place.

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Preface and acknowledgements

1. Introduction to community based system dynamics (CBSD)

2. Group model building and community based system dynamics process

3. Engaging communities

4. Problem scoping and identification

5. Core modeling team planning, training, and capacity building

6. Group model building workshop and facilitation

7. Model Refinement, synthesis, formulation, and analysis

8. Implementation and evaluation

9. Conclusion

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Dr. Peter Hovmand is the founding director of the Social System Design Lab at the Brown School of Social Work, Washington University in St. Louis where he uses system dynamics to understand and evaluate community level interventions. He has a background in electrical engineering, mathematics, and philosophy, and received his doctorate in social work and community psychology from Michigan State University. His research focuses on developing and using participatory group model building (GMB) techniques to involve community members in the creation of models to understand the role of social determinants of health, implementation and scale-up of innovations, and development of community prevention strategies.

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