Scott Moser

Prerequisites

Some exposure to mathematical reasoning will be helpful, at the level of an introductory microeconomics course.  While there are no formal requirements, student should be comfortable with analytical reasoning (logic, basic mathematics, etc.). No sophisticated mathematics will be involved, but logical, rigorous thinking will be necessary.  

Course Description

This course focuses on the role that political institutions play in political outcomes. Topics include: public goods and externalities, formation and behavior of groups, elementary game theory, operation of collective choice mechanisms via electoral systems (voting such as majority rule, plurality, quota systems, etc.) and principal agent problems. The topics covered illustrate that “the rules of the game” – the political institutions used – influence critically group outcomes and policies.The essence of public choice involves groups of individuals selecting a common (ie collective) alternative (be it restaurant, movie, budget or policy). Hence, this course introduces students to the fundamentals of collective choice: ``` How are/ should group decisions be made?’’ ``What does it mean for a group to decide `democratically?’’’ ``Does voting lead to `good’ outcomes?’’Grading Policy

Usual plus/minus grading based on home works, exams, participation and final.

Texts

Analyzing Politics (second edition) by Kenneth Shepsle published by W. W. Norton& Company (2010)Selected chapters of Rational Choice by Andrew Hindmoor. Palgrage Macmillain (2006) Selected sections of Electoral Systems: a Comparative Introduction by David Farrellpublished by Palgrave Macmillan (2001)

See syllabus

Prerequisites

A familiarity with non-cooperative game theory including utility theory and Nash eq.  Students should have taken GOV 385N Intro To Formal Pol Analysis or equivalent.

Course Description

Formal theory has a lot to offer scholars of the social sciences: from students of electoral processes, to party behavior, to comparative constitutional design, formal analytical methods can help identify and explore both causes and effects of oft studied social phenomena (thought this sentiment is admittedly biased).  Further, game-theoretic language and approaches have recently entered each of the disciplines sub-fields, to differing degrees, and it behooves many modern social scientists to be versed in such methods.

GOV 385R will provide methodological exposure and training to a variety of topics, including signaling, repeated games (with an emphasis on Markov Perfect equilibrium), evolutionary approaches to game theory, mechanism design, and some basic social choice, if there is time. A central goal of the course will be to integrate applications (both in the literature and potential) of the methods covered, and as such will depend somewhat on the interests of those enrolled.

Grading Policy  

Grades will be based on participation, problem sets, exams and a term paper (roughly in equal proportion).

Text

Political Game Theory: An Introduction by Nolan McCarty and Adam Meirowitz (PUP) 

Prerequisites

None

Course Description

This is the first course in the graduate sequence in  quantitative empirical analysis in the Government department.

Grading Policy 

Grades will be based on problem sets and examinations.

Texts

Statistical Methods for the Social Sciences by Agresti and Finlay

Selected readings from other sources. 

Prerequisites

None

Course Description

This course introduces basic concepts and methods of statistical inference, with a strong focus on political science. This course lays the groundwork for answering ``What can we learn about political systems and political processes from the world?''   The main activities of the class include lectures, readings and problem sets (which will include use of statistical software such as STATA). The objective of this course is to help students acquire the literacy for understanding social science research based on quantitative data and reasoning, as well as to prepare interested students for more advanced methods courses.

Grading Policy

Students' mastery of the material will be assessed via four (4) homeworks, three (3) lab assignments,  two (2) in-class examinations and a final exam.  Final marks will make use of the ``plus minus'' grading scheme and will be calculated as:  Final exam = 33%; midterm exams = 27%; problem sets = 25%, lab assignments = 15%.

Texts

Pollock, Philip H. III. The Essentials of Political Analysis. CQ Press College, ISBN-10: 1608716864

see syllabus

description coming soon

Description:

This course introduces students to the field of formal theory in
political science.  Formal theory builds largely on economic methods.  Methods such as rational choice theory, spatial theory (spatial representations
of political situations), game theory (the theory of interdependent
choice) and  social choice (how collective decisions are/ should be
made)– have influenced the study of political systems significantly.
This course introduces students to the methods and approaches of
studying political phenomena using ``formal’’ (ie rigorous, analytical
--mostly mathematical) methods.

Grading:

20% Homeworks + Quizzes;   25% Midterm Exam; 30%  Final Exam;  25%  Term Paper

Textbooks:

Analyzing Politics: Rationality, Behavior, and Institutions by Kenneth A. Shepsle and Mark S. Bonchek

A Political Theory Primer by Peter Ordeshook

Description:

This course introduces basic concepts and methods of statististical
inference, with a strong focus on political science . This course lays
the groundwork for answering ``What can we learn about political
systems and political processes from the world?’’

The objective of this course is to help students acquire the literacy
for understanding social science research  based on the scientific
approach, as well as to prepare interested students for more advanced
methods courses.

Topics include inference from quantitative data, measurement,
descriptive statistics, probability and probability distributions,
sampling, sampling distributions,  point estimation, confidence
intervals, hypothesis testing, correlation, and simple regression.
The course will be lecture-based and will be augmented by hands-on
practicals using datasets such as (for example) Gallup Survey, General
Social Survey, and/or National Election Study in homework assignments.
 You are also  encouraged to develop and work on your own research
problems.

Grading Policy:

Midterm exams (two): 50% Final: 30%  homeworks: 20%


Textbooks:

Statistics Without Tears by Derek Rowntree

Statistics for the Social Sciences by R. Mark Sirkin