Ananke: A Python Package For Causal Inference Using Graphical Models

Abstract: We implement Ananke: an object-oriented Python package for causal inference with graphical models. At the top of our inheritance structure is an easily extensible Graph class that provides an interface to several broadly useful graph-based algorithms and methods for visualization. We use best practices of object-oriented programming to implement subclasses of the Graph superclass that correspond to types of causal graphs that are popular in the current literature. This includes directed acyclic graphs for modeling causally sufficient systems, acyclic directed mixed graphs for modeling unmeasured confounding, and chain graphs for modeling data dependence and interference. Within these subclasses, we implement specialized algorithms for common statistical and causal modeling tasks, such as separation criteria for reading conditional independence, nonparametric identification, and parametric and semiparametric estimation of model parameters. Here, we present a broad overview of the package and example usage for a problem with unmeasured confounding. Up to date documentation is available at \url{https://ananke.readthedocs.io/en/latest/}.