Core Curriculum Statistics for Data Analysis Sequence Principles of Microeconomics and Public Policy Sequence Analytical Politics Sequence Core Project Public policy does not operate in a vacuum. Goals are contested, authority is fragmented, and progress often depends on coordination among actors with competing interests. The analytical politics sequence trains students to understand how policy decisions are made—and why translating ideas into action is often so difficult.Through formal models and applied analysis, students learn how collective decisions emerge, why collective action frequently fails, and how institutions and leadership shape outcomes. The sequence equips students to model strategic behavior, anticipate political constraints, and think systematically about how change happens within real political systems.What You'll LearnCourseAnalytical Politics IStudents begin by examining the foundations of collective decision-making. They explore why policy goals differ, how disagreement arises, and how competing values shape political conflict.Using tools from game theory and formal political analysis, students model the behavior of voters, interest groups, and institutions. They analyze how strategic interaction influences outcomes and how coordination, compromise, and institutional design affect the feasibility of policy change. By the end of the course, students are equipped to think strategically about goal setting and political viability.CourseAnalytical Politics IIThe second course shifts from decision-making to implementation. Once collective choices are made, students examine how authority is exercised, delegated, and constrained—and why policies so often fall short in practice.Students analyze how institutions shape incentives, how leaders are selected and held accountable, and how problems such as agency loss and misaligned incentives arise. They also study strategies for overcoming collective action problems and improving execution. Together, the courses prepare students to understand—and navigate—the systems through which policy must travel.Alexander Fouirnaies, Associate ProfessorLearning from Faculty Who Use These ToolsAlexander Fouirnaies, Associate ProfessorAssociate Professor Alexander Fouirnaies studies how political incentives shape policymaker behavior. His research examines the roles of elections, money, and institutions in accountability and representation, asking when—and why—political actors respond to incentives.In one prominent study, Fouirnaies analyzed hundreds of thousands of bills and millions of roll-call votes to understand what happens when legislators face term limits. His findings show that while productivity declines when reelection incentives disappear, lawmakers’ ideological positions remain largely unchanged—highlighting how incentives shape effort more than beliefs.In the classroom, Fouirnaies emphasizes that policy design and politics cannot be separated. Drawing on the same analytical tools students learn in the Core, he helps students take political constraints seriously and think rigorously about power, institutions, and strategy.Putting Analysis to WorkAnita Lee, MPP'11As a Principal Fiscal and Policy Analyst at California’s nonpartisan Legislative Analyst’s Office, Anita Lee provides lawmakers with objective analysis on justice, public safety, and regulatory policy. Her work supports decisions on complex issues where data are often incomplete and tradeoffs are unavoidable.Lee credits the Core with preparing her to evaluate evidence, clarify uncertainty, and communicate tradeoffs clearly. “My goal is to make sure policymakers understand the options before them,” she says, “including what the evidence supports and what the risks are.”For Lee, success means decision-makers feel informed rather than surprised. Her work exemplifies how analytical politics equips students to operate effectively inside institutions where judgment, clarity, and political awareness matter every day.