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ES50120: Economics of politics

Follow this link for further information on academic years Academic Year: 2019/0
Further information on owning departmentsOwning Department/School: Department of Economics
Further information on credits Credits: 6      [equivalent to 12 CATS credits]
Further information on notional study hours Notional Study Hours: 120
Further information on unit levels Level: Masters UG & PG (FHEQ level 7)
Further information on teaching periods Period:
Semester 2
Further information on unit assessment Assessment Summary: CW 50%, EX-TH 50%*
Further information on unit assessment Assessment Detail:
  • CW Essay* (CW 50% - Qualifying Mark: 40)
  • Open book, 72 hour take-home exam* (EX-TH 50% - Qualifying Mark: 40)

*Assessment updated due to Covid-19 disruptions
Further information on supplementary assessment Supplementary Assessment:
ES50120 Re-assessment 100% Exam (where allowed by programme regulations)
Further information on requisites Requisites:
Further information on descriptions Description: Aims:
The aim of the course unit is to provide students with the ability to apply microeconomic theory to analyse political behaviour.

Learning Outcomes:
By the end of the unit students will be expected to:
a) understand the way that rational choice models can be applied to explain and to predict the behaviour of politicians, bureaucrats, voters and interest groups;
b) understand the integrative link that has emerged between economic theory and political science;
c) assess the relevance of rational choice theories in the light of insights from behavioural economics;
d) assess the likelihood that democratic processes may be more inefficient than market processes.

Skills:
An enhanced understanding of economic analysis.
Abstraction and analytic skills.
Investigative skills.
Time management and planning.
Presentation skills.

Content:

* An introduction to welfare economics.
* An analysis of why citizens vote, and of the implications of relying on different voting rules.
* The economics of collective action and an assessment of the impact of lobbying.
* The motivation to participate in political revolution.
* The economics of terrorism.
* The economics of bureaucracy.
* Rent seeking and regulation.
* Rent seeking and trade policy.
* An analysis of the efficiency of international alliances.
Further information on programme availabilityProgramme availability:

ES50120 is Optional on the following programmes:

Department of Economics

Notes: