Game Theory and Politics

Catalog description

This course provides an introduction to game-theoretic models in political science. Game theory assumes that individuals act strategically to best pursue their goals, or maximize their welfare (utility), contingent on their expectations about the incentives faced by others whose decisions will influence the relative payoff of their action. The course will explore the fundamental assumptions that game-theoretical models make about human behavior as well as how individuals act strategically in contexts where information asymmetries exist that prevent them from perfectly anticipating the decisions of other actors. Depending on the instructor, the course will cover the application of game-theoretic models to topics in international relations or domestic politics.