EC302 One Unit
Political Economy
This information is for the 2025/26 session.
Course Convenor
Prof Stephane Wolton
Availability
This course is available on the BSc in Econometrics and Mathematical Economics, BSc in Economics, BSc in Economics and Economic History, BSc in International Social and Public Policy with Economics, BSc in Mathematics and Economics, BSc in Mathematics with Economics, BSc in Mathematics, Statistics and Business, BSc in Philosophy and Economics, BSc in Philosophy, Politics and Economics, BSc in Philosophy, Politics and Economics (with a Year Abroad), BSc in Politics and Economics, Erasmus Reciprocal Programme of Study and Exchange Programme for Students from University of California, Berkeley. This course is freely available as an outside option to students on other programmes where regulations permit. It does not require permission. This course is available with permission to General Course students.
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.
Course content
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.
Teaching
15 hours of lectures and 10 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 Autumn and Winter Term.
There will be no lectures or classes during the reading week.
There will be a three-hour mock exam and a 1.5 hour revision lecture in the ST Week 1.
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.
Formative assessment
Four pieces of written work (two per term) will be handed in and assessed by class teachers.
Indicative reading
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.
Assessment
Exam (100%), duration: 180 Minutes, reading time: 15 minutes in the Spring exam period
Key facts
Department: Economics
Course Study Period: Autumn, Winter and Spring Term
Unit value: One unit
FHEQ Level: Level 6
CEFR Level: Null
Total students 2024/25: Unavailable
Average class size 2024/25: Unavailable
Capped 2024/25: NoCourse selection videos
Some departments have produced short videos to introduce their courses. Please refer to the course selection videos index page for further information.
Personal development skills
- Self-management
- Problem solving
- Application of numeracy skills