A new collection edited by Elena Naumova and Feinstein Director Paul Howe features 12 open-access articles on the science of modeling famines as complex systems for improved prediction and response.

Published by the Journal of Public Health Policy (Springer Nature), the collection draws upon the expertise of 37 co-authors from 24 organizations across 11 countries.

In addition to Howe, several Feinstein International Center researchers contribute to the collection:

• Erin Coughlan de Perez is the lead author of a paper on famine risk under climate change.
• Anastasia Marshak is the lead author of a paper on the seasonality and risk factors of relapse to acute malnutrition.
• Merry Fitzpatrick co-authors a paper on applying systems dynamics models to famines and food crises.
• Daniel Maxwell is the lead author of a paper on data-related challenges in famine analysis.

Central to the work is an exploration of how various models—physics-based, time-series regression, systems dynamics, and fuzzy-cognitive mapping—can provide insight into what famines are, when they begin and end, where they occur, how and why they form, and who is involved.

Read the open-access collection at the Journal of Public Health Policy.

Read an interview with editors Elena Naumova and Paul Howe in Tufts Now.