Aims

The course focuses on the conduct of political action and political decision-making. It addresses these issues from the standpoint of macro- and micro-political analysis, and on the basis of an inter-disciplinary approach. The objective is to train decision-makers at various levels of public authorities.

Main themes

Theories of power, models of rationality, the issue of public choices, the theory of risk and uncertainty, games theory, the ethics and psychology of decision-making, and theories of democracy.

Content and teaching methods

Content
- Introduction: Politics (field of action, the structuring of power and the meaning of action).
- Nature and framework of political action: Collective action (public choices and institutional rules) and the mechanisms of social choice.
- The processes and structures of decision-making: Public policies, decision-making (models, applications and methodology) and the dynamics of action.
Methodology
The course combines the theoretical explanations, practical applications and methodological instruments needed for an understanding of political action. It will include a syllabus, expositions and reading.

Programmes in which this activity is taught

Other credits in programs