Entry requirements

A Bachelor's degree, equivalent to a Swedish Kandidatexamen, from an internationally recognised university. Also required is 60 credits in economics and 15 credits in statistics (or a closely related subject).

Learning outcomes

After completing this course, the student is expected to be able to

• explain how the political process can affect economic policy
• solve basic theoretical models in political economics, as well as understand and discuss their empirical implications
• identify both strengths and weaknesses in contemporary research in the field
• independently formulate a feasible research idea which would contribute to the research within the field
• offer and receive constructive criticisms regarding the student's own, as well as other student's work

Content

This course applies modern economic tools to the analysis of political behaviour, where political agents such as politicians, voters and members of interest groups are assumed to rationally pursue their own interest - just like consumers in the market. The purpose of these analyses is to explain how the political process affects economic policy. The course is divided into two parts. In the first, the basic workhorse models in political economics are introduced and their empirical implications and relevance are discussed. In the second part, the models are applied to specific topics within the field, such as mass media, gender and political economics as well as the politics of fiscal federalism.

Instruction

The course material will be presented in lectures and seminars as well as through exercises during the class.

Assessment

The course will be examined by compulsory exercises, seminars and a term paper.