Political Science | Models and Theories of Political Decision Making
Y405 | 27241 | Razo

Class carries COLL S & H distribution credit

Politics is driven by the decisions of individuals and groups in
society.  The types of decisions that are made in any society range
from individual choices such as deciding whom to support in a given
election, to the collective choice of public policies made by a
group of public officials.   This course introduces students to
basic tools and models of rational choice and game theory to
understand political decision making.  We start with a basic theory
of how individuals make their own decisions.  We will also explore
the consequences of strategic behavior that arises when individuals
interact or compete with other political actors.  To that effect, we
build upon the basic theory of individual choice to examine the
complexities that arise when groups of people come together to make
a decision.  To understand group decision making, we will study how
institutions, or the political context in which group decisions are
made, affect group choices.