Course # 30800 Section Number 3 Day(s) M- W Time(s) 1:30pm-2:50pm Term Fall 2025 Course Instructor Alexander Fouirnaies Syllabus Syllabus 10/2/24 Must be a Harris masters student to enroll. No exceptions for non-Harris students, even by consent. This course is designed to serve three interrelated goals. It is an introduction to core concepts in the study of political economy. These concepts include collective action, coordination, and commitment problems; externalities and other forms of market failure; principal-agent relationships; problems of preference aggregation; and agenda setting and voting. The course also introduces basic concepts in game theory, including Nash equilibrium, subgame Perfection, and repeated games. It is not, however, a suitable substitute for a game theory course for doctoral students in the social sciences. Finally, the course provides an overview of some of the key insights from the field of political economy on how institutions shape and constrain the making of public policy, with special attention to various ways in which governments can and cannot be held accountable to their citizens. Notes Students must register separately for both a lecture (PPHA 30800) and a discussion (PPHA 30802). Attendance at discussion sessions is optional for this course. Course Prerequisite Must be a Harris masters student to enroll. Recent News More news Q&A: Assistant Professor Erin Kelley on Her Work in Program Evaluation, International Development, and With the World Bank Wed., July 09, 2025 University of Chicago’s Harris School of Public Policy and Institute for Climate and Sustainable Growth Launch New Pathbreaking Master’s Program in Climate and Energy Policy Tue., July 08, 2025 Provost Katherine Baicker Appointed Emmett Dedmon Distinguished Service Professor Thu., July 03, 2025 Upcoming Events More events Harris Summer Mixer in Washington, DC: Cultivating Policy Connections Thu., July 10, 2025 | 5:00 PM Harris Summer Mixer in Washington, DC: Cultivating Policy Connections Office of Federal Relations 1730 Pennsylvania Ave NW Washington,, DC 20006 United States Coffee Chat Fri., July 11, 2025 | 9:00 AM Tatte Bakery and Cafe 2129 I St NW Washington, DC 20037 United States Coffee Chat Fri., July 11, 2025 | 10:00 AM Greenberry's Coffee Co. 1805 E St NW Washington, DC 20006 United States