Christopher Frantz

About

I am a computational social scientist interested in the modelling and analysis institutions, where institutions are understood as manifestations of social behaviour, such as conventions, norms (i.e., socially enforced behaviour) and rules (e.g., legal rules enforced via laws and regulations). My research includes

the use of agent-based simulations to analyse and explain observed human behaviour (understanding the functioning of complex social systems),
the encoding of laws and regulation and their representation in software (how we can make policies accessible to both humans and machines),
the computational analysis of institutions with respect to their complexity as well as associated dynamics (e.g., evaluating the structure and effect of existing/novel policy, and their interaction with social behaviour),
the development of technology that performs institutional functions in the real world (e.g., fostering decentralized governance).

As part of my research, I am actively applying and further developing the Institutional Grammar (originally proposed by Crawford and Ostrom) into an analytical paradigm to study institutions of diverse form and kind to make those accessible to computational analysis, enabling novel analytical opportunities within the area of policy analysis and beyond. Associated efforts include the development of the Institutional Grammar 2.0 conceptually developed in articles (see below) and the book "Institutional Grammar: Foundations and Applications for Institutional Analysis" (co-authored with Saba Siddiki), as well as the development of software facilitating rigorous encoding and analysis. I am further involved in the Institutional Grammar Research Initiative (IGRI) whose mission is to provide a shared umbrella to all those interested in institutional analysis - irrespective of their disciplinary background (e.g., institutional and policy/legal scholars, social scientists more broadly, computer scientists, policy practitioners), interests (e.g., theory and methodological development, content analyses, formal analyses, behavioural modeling) and experience level (early-stage to senior researchers).

Besides my research, at NTNU I am teaching in the areas of cloud technologies and coordinate the Master in Applied Computer Science Programme (MACS).

For more details and an overview of publications, please refer to the links to my website.

Publications

2026

Charles, Brandon; Siddiki, Saba; Vannoni, Matia; Frantz, Christopher Konstantin; Oesterling, Nicholas. (2026) Policy design complexity and policy outputs: theory and methods. Policy Design and Practice
Academic article

2025

Khatami, Siamak; Frantz, Christopher Konstantin. (2025) Toward Automating Agent-Based Model Generation: A Benchmark for Model Extraction Using Question-Answering Techniques. Springer Proceedings in Complexity
Academic article
Michael, Belfrage,; Frantz, Christopher Konstantin; Bertilla, Fabris,; Fabian, Lorig,. (2025) Blueprinting Organ Donation: A ‘Policy-First’ Approach for Developing Agent-Based Models. Springer Proceedings in Complexity
Academic article
Belfrage, Michael; Lorig, Fabian; Frantz, Christopher Konstantin; Tucker, Jason; Davidsson, Paul. (2025) THE TRANSPARENCY IMPERATIVE: THE NEED FOR MODEL DOCUMENTATION FOR ENGAGING WITH PUBLIC POLICY FOLLOWING THE EU AI ACT. Simulation Series
Academic article
Khatami, Siamak; Frantz, Christopher Konstantin. (2025) From Concepts to Model: Automating Feature Extraction of Agent-based Models using Large Language Models. JASSS : Journal of Artificial Societies and Social Simulation
Academic article
Khatami, Siamak; Frantz, Christopher Konstantin; Moses, Jonathon Wayne. (2025) AI-Enhanced ABM Development: Facilitating Agent-based Modeling using Artificial Intelligence. Norges teknisk-naturvitenskapelige universitet
Doctoral thesis

2024

Khatami, Siamak; Frantz, Christopher Konstantin. (2024) Income Versus Demand: Exploring Dynamics of Poverty Lines Using Agent-Based Modeling.
Academic chapter
Kianpour, Mazaher; Frantz, Christopher Konstantin. (2024) Analysis of Institutional Design of European Union Cyber Incident and Crisis Management as a Complex Public Good. Regulation & Governance
Academic article

2023

Khatami, Siamak; Frantz, Christopher Konstantin. (2023) Copatrec: A correlation pattern recognizer Python package for nonlinear relations. SoftwareX
Academic article
Siddiki, Saba; Frantz, Christopher Konstantin. (2023) Understanding the Effects of Social Value Orientations in Shaping Regulatory Outcomes through Agent-Based Modeling: An Application in Organic Farming. International Review of Public Policy (IRPP)
Academic article
Siddiki, Saba; Brady, Ute; Frantz, Christopher Konstantin. (2023) The Institutional Grammar: Evolving Directions in Current Research. International Review of Public Policy (IRPP)
Academic article
Siddiki, Saba; Frantz, Christopher Konstantin. (2023) Understanding regulation using the Institutional Grammar 2.0. Regulation & Governance
Academic article

2022

Siddiki, Saba; Frantz, Christopher. (2022) The institutional grammar in policy process research. Policy Studies Journal (PSJ)
Editorial
Sedigh, Amir Hosein Afshar; Purvis, Martin K; Savarimuthu, Bastin Tony Roy; Frantz, Christopher; Purvis, Maryam A. (2022) A Comparative Study on Apprenticeship Systems Using Agent-Based Simulation. JASSS : Journal of Artificial Societies and Social Simulation
Academic article
Frantz, Christopher; Siddiki, Saba. (2022) Institutional Grammar: Foundations and Applications for Institutional Analysis. Palgrave Macmillan
Academic monograph

2021

Tubella, Andrea Aler; Cranefield, Stephen; Frantz, Christopher; Meneguzzi, Felipe; Vasconcelos, Wamberto. (2021) Coordination, Organizations, Institutions, Norms, and Ethics for Governance of Multi-Agent Systems XIII. Springer
Anthology
Frantz, Christopher; Siddiki, Saba. (2021) Institutional Grammar 2.0: A specification for encoding and analyzing institutional design. Public Administration
Academic article
Sedigh, Amir Hosein Afshar; Purvis, Martin K.; Savarimuthu, Bastin Tony Roy; Purvis, Maryam A; Frantz, Christopher. (2021) Impact of Meta-roles on the Evolution of Organisational Institutions.
Academic chapter
Sedigh, Amir Hosein Afshar; Purvis, Martin K.; Savarimuthu, Bastin Tony Roy; Frantz, Christopher; Purvis, Maryam A. (2021) Impact of Different Belief Facets on Agents’ Decision—A Refined Cognitive Architecture to Model the Interaction Between Organisations' Institutional Characteristics and Agents' Behaviour.
Academic chapter
Siddiki, Saba; Frantz, Christopher. (2021) New opportunities for institutional analysis in public administration research. Public Administration
Academic article

2020

Frantz, Christopher; Siddiki, Saba. (2020) Institutional Grammar 2.0 Codebook. arXiv
Research report
Frantz, Christopher. (2020) Unleashing the Agents: From a Descriptive to an Explanatory Perspective in Agent-Based Modelling.
Non-fiction chapter

2019

Frantz, Christopher; Ghorbani, Amineh. (2019) Inequality: Driver or Inhibitor of Collective Action?.
Academic chapter
Kianpour, Mazaher; Øverby, Harald; Kowalski, Stewart James; Frantz, Christopher. (2019) Social Preferences in Decision Making Under Cybersecurity Risks and Uncertainties. Lecture Notes in Computer Science (LNCS)
Academic article
Kianpour, Mazaher; Kowalski, Stewart James; Zoto, Erjon; Frantz, Christopher; Øverby, Harald. (2019) Designing Serious Games for Cyber Ranges: A Socio-technical Approach.
Academic chapter
Sedigh, Amir Hosein Afshar; Frantz, Christopher; Savarimuthu, Bastin Tony Roy; Purvis, Martin K; Purvis, Maryam A. (2019) A Comparison of Two Historical Trader Societies – An Agent-Based Simulation Study of English East India Company and New-Julfa. Lecture Notes in Computer Science (LNCS)
Academic article
Nowostawski, Mariusz; Frantz, Christopher. (2019) Quasi-social software as the 'social' in socio-technical design. CEUR Workshop Proceedings
Academic article
Frantz, Christopher Konstantin; Pigozzi, Gabriella. (2019) Modelling Norm Dynamics in Multi-Agent Systems. Journal of Applied Logics (JAL-FLAP)
Academic article

2018

Zoto, Erjon; Kowalski, Stewart James; Frantz, Christopher Konstantin; Lopez Rojas, Edgar Alonso; Katt, Basel. (2018) A Pilot Study in Cyber Security Education Using CyberAIMs: A Simulation-Based Experiment. IFIP Advances in Information and Communication Technology
Academic article
Frantz, Christopher Konstantin; Pigozzi, Gabriella. (2018) Modelling Norm Dynamics in Multi-Agent Systems.
Non-fiction chapter
Moore, Antoni; Nowostawski, Mariusz; Frantz, Christopher Konstantin; Hulbe, Christina. (2018) Comic Strip Narratives in Time Geography. ISPRS International Journal of Geo-Information
Academic article
Zoto, Erjon; Kowalski, Stewart James; Katt, Basel; Frantz, Christopher; Lopez Rojas, Edgar Alonso. (2018) CyberAIMs: A tool for teaching adversarial and systems thinking.
Academic chapter
Zoto, Erjon; Kowalski, Stewart James; Frantz, Christopher; Lopez Rojas, Edgar Alonso; Katt, Basel. (2018) A Pilot Study in Cyber Security Education Using CyberAIMs: A Simulation-Based Experiment.
Academic chapter

Journal publications

Khatami, Siamak; Frantz, Christopher Konstantin. (2025) Toward Automating Agent-Based Model Generation: A Benchmark for Model Extraction Using Question-Answering Techniques. Springer Proceedings in Complexity
Academic article
Michael, Belfrage,; Frantz, Christopher Konstantin; Bertilla, Fabris,; Fabian, Lorig,. (2025) Blueprinting Organ Donation: A ‘Policy-First’ Approach for Developing Agent-Based Models. Springer Proceedings in Complexity
Academic article
Charles, Brandon; Siddiki, Saba; Vannoni, Matia; Frantz, Christopher Konstantin; Oesterling, Nicholas. (2026) Policy design complexity and policy outputs: theory and methods. Policy Design and Practice
Academic article
Belfrage, Michael; Lorig, Fabian; Frantz, Christopher Konstantin; Tucker, Jason; Davidsson, Paul. (2025) THE TRANSPARENCY IMPERATIVE: THE NEED FOR MODEL DOCUMENTATION FOR ENGAGING WITH PUBLIC POLICY FOLLOWING THE EU AI ACT. Simulation Series
Academic article
Khatami, Siamak; Frantz, Christopher Konstantin. (2025) From Concepts to Model: Automating Feature Extraction of Agent-based Models using Large Language Models. JASSS : Journal of Artificial Societies and Social Simulation
Academic article
Zoto, Erjon; Kowalski, Stewart James; Frantz, Christopher Konstantin; Lopez Rojas, Edgar Alonso; Katt, Basel. (2018) A Pilot Study in Cyber Security Education Using CyberAIMs: A Simulation-Based Experiment. IFIP Advances in Information and Communication Technology
Academic article
Siddiki, Saba; Frantz, Christopher. (2022) The institutional grammar in policy process research. Policy Studies Journal (PSJ)
Editorial
Khatami, Siamak; Frantz, Christopher Konstantin. (2023) Copatrec: A correlation pattern recognizer Python package for nonlinear relations. SoftwareX
Academic article
Frantz, Christopher; Siddiki, Saba. (2021) Institutional Grammar 2.0: A specification for encoding and analyzing institutional design. Public Administration
Academic article
Kianpour, Mazaher; Øverby, Harald; Kowalski, Stewart James; Frantz, Christopher. (2019) Social Preferences in Decision Making Under Cybersecurity Risks and Uncertainties. Lecture Notes in Computer Science (LNCS)
Academic article
Moore, Antoni; Nowostawski, Mariusz; Frantz, Christopher Konstantin; Hulbe, Christina. (2018) Comic Strip Narratives in Time Geography. ISPRS International Journal of Geo-Information
Academic article
Siddiki, Saba; Frantz, Christopher Konstantin. (2023) Understanding the Effects of Social Value Orientations in Shaping Regulatory Outcomes through Agent-Based Modeling: An Application in Organic Farming. International Review of Public Policy (IRPP)
Academic article
Siddiki, Saba; Frantz, Christopher. (2021) New opportunities for institutional analysis in public administration research. Public Administration
Academic article
Sedigh, Amir Hosein Afshar; Purvis, Martin K; Savarimuthu, Bastin Tony Roy; Frantz, Christopher; Purvis, Maryam A. (2022) A Comparative Study on Apprenticeship Systems Using Agent-Based Simulation. JASSS : Journal of Artificial Societies and Social Simulation
Academic article
Siddiki, Saba; Brady, Ute; Frantz, Christopher Konstantin. (2023) The Institutional Grammar: Evolving Directions in Current Research. International Review of Public Policy (IRPP)
Academic article
Sedigh, Amir Hosein Afshar; Frantz, Christopher; Savarimuthu, Bastin Tony Roy; Purvis, Martin K; Purvis, Maryam A. (2019) A Comparison of Two Historical Trader Societies – An Agent-Based Simulation Study of English East India Company and New-Julfa. Lecture Notes in Computer Science (LNCS)
Academic article
Nowostawski, Mariusz; Frantz, Christopher. (2019) Quasi-social software as the 'social' in socio-technical design. CEUR Workshop Proceedings
Academic article
Kianpour, Mazaher; Frantz, Christopher Konstantin. (2024) Analysis of Institutional Design of European Union Cyber Incident and Crisis Management as a Complex Public Good. Regulation & Governance
Academic article
Siddiki, Saba; Frantz, Christopher Konstantin. (2023) Understanding regulation using the Institutional Grammar 2.0. Regulation & Governance
Academic article
Frantz, Christopher Konstantin; Pigozzi, Gabriella. (2019) Modelling Norm Dynamics in Multi-Agent Systems. Journal of Applied Logics (JAL-FLAP)
Academic article

Books

Tubella, Andrea Aler; Cranefield, Stephen; Frantz, Christopher; Meneguzzi, Felipe; Vasconcelos, Wamberto. (2021) Coordination, Organizations, Institutions, Norms, and Ethics for Governance of Multi-Agent Systems XIII. Springer
Anthology
Frantz, Christopher; Siddiki, Saba. (2022) Institutional Grammar: Foundations and Applications for Institutional Analysis. Palgrave Macmillan
Academic monograph

Part of book/report

Frantz, Christopher Konstantin; Pigozzi, Gabriella. (2018) Modelling Norm Dynamics in Multi-Agent Systems.
Non-fiction chapter
Frantz, Christopher; Ghorbani, Amineh. (2019) Inequality: Driver or Inhibitor of Collective Action?.
Academic chapter
Khatami, Siamak; Frantz, Christopher Konstantin. (2024) Income Versus Demand: Exploring Dynamics of Poverty Lines Using Agent-Based Modeling.
Academic chapter
Sedigh, Amir Hosein Afshar; Purvis, Martin K.; Savarimuthu, Bastin Tony Roy; Purvis, Maryam A; Frantz, Christopher. (2021) Impact of Meta-roles on the Evolution of Organisational Institutions.
Academic chapter
Sedigh, Amir Hosein Afshar; Purvis, Martin K.; Savarimuthu, Bastin Tony Roy; Frantz, Christopher; Purvis, Maryam A. (2021) Impact of Different Belief Facets on Agents’ Decision—A Refined Cognitive Architecture to Model the Interaction Between Organisations' Institutional Characteristics and Agents' Behaviour.
Academic chapter
Zoto, Erjon; Kowalski, Stewart James; Katt, Basel; Frantz, Christopher; Lopez Rojas, Edgar Alonso. (2018) CyberAIMs: A tool for teaching adversarial and systems thinking.
Academic chapter
Kianpour, Mazaher; Kowalski, Stewart James; Zoto, Erjon; Frantz, Christopher; Øverby, Harald. (2019) Designing Serious Games for Cyber Ranges: A Socio-technical Approach.
Academic chapter
Zoto, Erjon; Kowalski, Stewart James; Frantz, Christopher; Lopez Rojas, Edgar Alonso; Katt, Basel. (2018) A Pilot Study in Cyber Security Education Using CyberAIMs: A Simulation-Based Experiment.
Academic chapter
Frantz, Christopher. (2020) Unleashing the Agents: From a Descriptive to an Explanatory Perspective in Agent-Based Modelling.
Non-fiction chapter

Report

Frantz, Christopher; Siddiki, Saba. (2020) Institutional Grammar 2.0 Codebook. arXiv
Research report

Student thesis or dissertation

Khatami, Siamak; Frantz, Christopher Konstantin; Moses, Jonathon Wayne. (2025) AI-Enhanced ABM Development: Facilitating Agent-based Modeling using Artificial Intelligence. Norges teknisk-naturvitenskapelige universitet
Doctoral thesis

Outreach

2023

Conference poster

Khatami, Siamak; Frantz, Christopher Konstantin. (2023) Correlation Pattern Recognizer (Copatrec): Automating Nonlinear Model Selection from Data. 18th Social Simulation Conference (SCC2023)

2022

Conference lecture

Kianpour, Mazaher; Frantz, Christopher. (2022) Analysis of institutional design of European Union cyber incidents and crises management as a complex public good. The Second Annual IGRI Conference

2019

Conference lecture

Nowostawski, Mariusz; Frantz, Christopher. (2019) Quasi-Social: Software as the 'Social' in Socio-Technical Design. 5th International Workshop on Socio-Technical Perspective in IS Development STPIS 2019 co-located with 27th European Conference on Information Systems ECIS 2019

2018

Lecture

Frantz, Christopher Konstantin. (2018) Unleashing the Agents: From a Descriptive to an Explanatory Perspective in Agent-based Modelling. Social Simulation Conference 2018

Språkvelger

Christopher Frantz