Strategy and Politics An Introduction to Game Theory [Paperback]

Strategy and Politics: An Introduction to Game Theory is designed to introduce students with no background in formal theory to the application of game theory to modeling political processes. This accessible text covers the essential aspects of game theory while keeping the reader constantly in touch with why political science as a whole would benefit from considering this method. Examining the very phenomena that power political machinerieselections, legislative and committee processes, and international conflict, the book attempts to answer fundamental questions about their nature and function in a clear, accessible manner.

Included at the end of each chapter is a set of exercises designed to allow students to practice the construction and analysis of political models. Although the text assumes only an elementary-level training in algebra, students who complete a course around this text will be equipped to read nearly all of the professional literature that makes use of game theoretic analysis.

1. Politics as a Game. 2. Extensive Forms, Voting Trees and Planning Ahead 3. The Strategic Form and Nash Equilibria. 4. Zero Sum and Spatial Games. 5. The Prisoners Dilemma and Collective Action. 6. Agendas and Voting Rules. 7. Games With Incomplete Information. 8. Cooperation and Coalitions.

The strength of Strategy and Politicsis its amazing ability to cover the essential aspects of game theory while keeping the reader constantly in touch with why political science as a whole would benefit from considering this method.   Arthur Lupia, Hal R. Varian Collegiate Professor of Political Science, University of Michigan

Emerson M.S. Niou is Professor of Political Science at Duke University. He is the co-author of The Balance of Power(Cambridge University Press) and his current projects include studieslÆ