IMPORTANT: Exam and
Quiz Scores ( please contact us by no later than
Links
to readings:
The “killer amendment” article
More
to come
Exam
Questions:
Politics of
Everyday Life
Political
Science 491
Winter, 2008
Instructor: Mikhail Myagkov, 913 PLC, myagkov@uoregon.edu
Office Hours Wed
GTF Jeremy Roth
Email: jroth2@uoregon.edu
General Description
We often think that the term
"politics" refers mostly to the processes by which collective
decisions are made – in particular, by governments. On the other hand this word
(politics) can be used more generally to refer to the processes by which we all
try to influence each other’s behavior in the normal course of everyday life.
This course puts together material from game theory, evolutionary psychology,
decision research and a variety of other disciplines that all, in some way,
address such "everyday politics". Some of the materials are analytic
– that is, they provide "tools" by which one can address a wide range
of specific instances. Other materials are psychological or cognitive – that
is, they address attributes of humans as they engage in one another aspect of
"everyday politics". Finally, a part of this class will be devoted to
learning about laboratory experiments design. Students will have an opportunity
to design their own laboratory experiment to study a problem of their choice.
Requirements
There will be two midterm exams each worth 38% of the grade on Mondays of weeks 5th and 9h of the class. A week before the exam, I will circulate a list of study questions; at the time of the exam, I will select three questions and you should write on two. A final multiple choice type quiz will be given on Wednesday of Week 10 worth 17% of the grade. Attendance will be taken at random times. Participation in one lab experiment with a follow up ( 7 %). Students with 100% attendance will receive bonus points.
Practical Topics (tools):
1. Theory of Games;
2. Experimental
Design ( laboratory experiments )
Readings:
1. Political Theory Primer, by Peter Ordeshook (required)
2. Game Theory for Political Scientists by Morrow ( recommended)
Theoretical Topics ( not
necessarily in the order covered in class):
1. Cooperation and (Self)Commitment
2 Deception and Choosing
Partners
3. The Inner I: Theory of Mind
4. Conflict, Power, Agenda Setting and Trust
5.
Risk, Risky Decisions, Gains and Losses
.
6. Bargaining and Negotiation
"
7. Sex, Gender and All That
8. Micro Choices and Macro Outcomes
9. Designing Laboratory Experiments