Government and Politics 831: Introduction to Formal Theories of Politics
Spring 2017: Thursday 12:30 – 3:15, Tydings 1136
Draft 1/18/18
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Prof. Kathleen Cunningham
Chincoteague 3117D
Office hrs: By appointment
TA: Kainan Gao
Office hours: TBA
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About the course:
As methodological sophistication of the field increases, formal methods of analysis are ever more important across sub-fields in political science. Understanding the contemporary theoretical innovations made with formal models requires a basic understanding of formal logic and some familiarity with concepts and prior innovations in formal theory. The first objective of this course, therefore, is to introduce students to the fundamental logic of formal thinking. To this end, the course assumes no previous knowledge of these methods or mathematical background beyond basic algebra. A second objective is to provide some grounding in the formal theory literature including social choice and game theory. The course emphasizes strategic logic as a way of conceptualizing and understanding politics. The primary learning outcomes are that students (1) be able to read and understand formal models and (2) be able to link different models to different ways of thinking about politics in a way that enhance their own research.
Course Requirements:
1) Seminar attendance and active participation in discussion throughout the semester is
required. Students are expected to be on time, have completed the assigned readings and absences should be cleared beforehand with the professor.
2) Each student is expected to complete the assigned homework on time. The homework includes 5 problem sets and two response paper critiques based on the applications weeks. For due dates see the schedule below.
3) There will be in-class two exams. The midterm focuses on concepts and problems covered up to that point in the class. The final is cumulative.
4) Working with the Teaching Assistant, students will identify a research question (by April 5th) for a model comparison paper. Students mustidentify two different models that could be used to answer the question and work through the implications of using each. There will be a presentation on the model comparison papers at the conclusion of the class.
Grade Breakdown:
Problem Sets (5)30%
Response papers (2)10%
Midterm Exam25%
Final Exam25%
Model Comparison Paper10%
Total100%
Academic conduct:
It is assumed that all students are familiar with and will adhere to the code of academic integrity (
Readings:
Avinash Dixit and Susan Skeath. 2015. Games of Strategy. New York: Norton and Company. 4th edition.
Other articles/chapters are available online through ELMS.
Schedule:
January 25: Intro/Basics of strategic games (Sequential and Simultaneous)
Reading: D&S ch 1 - 4
February 1: No Class
February 8: Simultaneous and combined games
Reading: D&S ch 5 & 6
Assignments Due: Problem set 1
February 15: Mixed strategies
Reading: D&S ch 7
Assignments Due: Problem set2
February 22: Uncertainty and information
Reading: D&S ch 8
Assignments Due: Problem set 3
March 1:Midterm exam
March 8: Collective action
Reading: D&S ch 11
Assignments Due: Problem set 4
March 15: Bargaining games/voting games
Reading: D&S ch 17 and ch 15
Assignments Due: Problem set5
March 22: No class - Spring Break
March 29: Social choice theory
Reading: TBA
April 5: Meet with Kainon to start working on papers
April 12: Current applications
Reading: TBA
April 19: Current applications
Reading: TBA
April 26: Current applications
Reading: TBA
May 3: Student presentations
Assignments Due: Both response papers due
May 10: Student presentation
Final exam day: Final exam
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