Pol Sci 359 - The Mathematics of Elections

Institution:

Washington University in St Louis

Subject:

Description:

Voting procedures provide the most common means of aggregating the preferences of individuals into societal outcomes. These procedures play an integral role in our daily lives, from having a show of hands to decide which type of pizza to order for a club meeting, to electing a president. This course examines the effects that different voting procedures have on how groups make decisions. We evaluate electoral systems mathematically, by considering the various properties that procedures may or may not satisfy. A classic example is Arrow's Impossibility Theorem, which tells us that every electoral system must fail to satisfy one or more criteria of fairness or sensibility. In addition to Arrow's claim, we examine other legislative paradoxes and learn why the choice of electoral procedure is critical to our understanding of how "good" and "bad" decisions can be made. We also discuss the comparative properties of electoral systems in operation, such as fairness, proportionality, representativeness, and legitimacy.

Credits:

3.00

Credit Hours:

Prerequisites:

Corequisites:

Exclusions:

Level:

Instructional Type:

Lecture

Notes:

Additional Information:

Historical Version(s):

Institution Website:

www.wustl.edu

Phone Number:

(314) 935-5000

Regional Accreditation:

North Central Association of Colleges and Schools

Calendar System:

Semester

The Course Profile information is provided and updated by third parties including the respective institutions. While the institutions are able to update their information at any time, the information is not independently validated, and no party associated with this website can accept responsibility for its accuracy.