Focuses on how to analyze problems in international politics by the use of game theory. Examples include governments making choices about the size of their military forces, barriers to trade, or international agreements on environmental issues. Analysts study strategic interaction using both informal and mathematical methods. Provides a good introduction to the basics of game theory — a tool useful in many different settings — as well as an introduction to the study of world politics. From the perspective of quantitative reasoning, one of the most important set of lessons center on the logic of strategic interaction and the notion of equilibrium. Along with basic game theory students will also be introduced to the pragmatic use of mathematical tools including algebra, set theory, functions, and probability theory.
Semester: Fall
Offered: 2022
Related Materials
Lecture: Elements of Games
Week 1: Elements of Games
Week 2: Risk and Expected Utility
Week 3: Equilibrium in Basic Normal-form and Extensive-form Games
Week 4: Real World Applications and Interpretation of Game Theory
Week 5: Mixed Strategy
Week 6: (Slightly More) Advanced Mixed Strategy
Week 7: Repeated Games
Week 8: Uncertainty and Asymmetric Information
Week 9: Bayesian Updating
Week 10: Signaling Game
Week 11: Bargaining Model
X. (Xunchao) Zhang 