Understanding Financial Contagion: A Complexity Modeling Perspective

This chapter reviews key contributions of complexity science to the study of systemic risk in financial systems. The focus is on network models of financial contagion, where I explore various mechanisms of shock propagation, such as counterparty default risk and overlapping portfolios. I highlight how the interconnectedness of financial institutions can amplify risk, and I discuss how standard risk management tools, which neglect these interactions, can increase systemic risk.