EC302      One Unit
Political Economy

This information is for the 2025/26 session.

Course Convenor

Availability

Requisites

Additional requisites:

This course makes use of key concepts in economic theory as well as econometric analysis. We welcome all students with a strong background and proven record in quantitative courses, such as econometrics (EC220 or EC221 or EC2C1 or EC2C3 and EC2C4, or equivalent), statistics (ST107 or ST102, or ST109 combined with EC1C1, or equivalent) microeconomics (EC2A1 or EC2A3, or equivalent) and mathematics (MA107, MA108 or MA100). 

EC302 is mutually exclusive with EC312 and GV325. 

The course seeks to introduce students to the major theoretical models of Political Economy and the available empirical evidence. The AT will focus mostly on the game theoretical approach to political economy, though we will also cover empirical evidence related to various models. Sample of theoretical topics to be covered include Political economy of income redistribution; Strategic and Sincere voting; Political Agency Models in democracy and autocracy.  In the WT, we will turn to empirical political economy, though we will also relate empirical papers to game theoretical concepts seen in the first half of the course. Sample of empirical topics to be covered include populism, democratic backsliding, autocracy vs democracy. 

1 hours of classes in the Spring Term.
15 hours of lectures and 9 hours of classes in the Winter Term.
15 hours of lectures and 10 hours of classes in the Autumn Term.

This course has a reading week in Week 6 of Winter Term.

There will be a reading week in Week 6 of WT (no lectures or classes that week).

There will be a three-hour mock exam and a 1.5 hour revision lecture in the ST. 

This course is delivered through a combination of classes and lectures totalling a minimum of 50 hours across Autumn Term, Winter Term and Spring Term.  

Four pieces of written work (two per term) will be handed in and assessed by class teachers.

There is no textbook covering all the material in the course. The following books are recommended as supplements to lecture content:
• Analyzing Politics, Rationality, Behavior and Institutions, K.A. Shepsle and M.S. Bonchek. W. W. Norton & Company, New York, London.
 

Exam (100%), duration: 180 Minutes, reading time: 15 minutes in the Spring exam period