Games, Strategy, and Politics: Professor Steven J. Brams
Politics V53.0844
GAMES, STRATEGY, AND POLITICS
Professor Steven J. Brams
New York University
Course Description
Applications of game theory-and an alternative strategic theory called "theory of moves"-as well as social-choice theory to a wide variety of strategic situations, principally but not exclusively in politics, will be examined. Uses of strategy in voting in committees and elections, in political campaigns, in the defense and deterrence policies of nations, and in bargaining and coalition-building situations will be among the topics discussed. Secrecy and deception as political strategies will also be analyzed.
Although the applications of strategic thinking will be mainly to American and international politics, strategy in everything from the Bible to sports and business today will be studied, too. Social-choice topics that will be analyzed include the manipulability of different voting systems, problems of achieving proportional representation in parliamentary democracies, and conflicts among different apportionment methods. Fair-division procedures for resolving disputes will also be analyzed.
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