EC453
Political Economy
This information is for the 2020/21 session.
Teacher responsible
Dr Stephane Wolton
Availability
This course is available on the MPA in International Development, MPA in Public Policy and Management, MPA in Public and Economic Policy, MPA in Public and Social Policy, MPA in Social Impact, MSc in Econometrics and Mathematical Economics, MSc in Economics, MSc in Economics (2 Year Programme), MSc in Environmental Economics and Climate Change and MSc in Political Science and Political Economy. This course is available with permission as an outside option to students on other programmes where regulations permit.
Pre-requisites
Students must have completed Introductory Course in Mathematics and Statistics (EC400).
In exceptional circumstances, students may take this course without EC400 provided they meet the necessary requirements and have received approval from the course conveners (via a face to face meeting), the MSc Economics Programme Director and their own Programme Director. Contact the Department of Economics for more information (econ.msc@lse.ac.uk) regarding entry to this course.
Students should have completed courses in intermediate level microeconomics, macroeconomics and econometrics.
Course content
This course proposes a broad overview of seminal papers and recent advances in the growing field of Political Economy. The course covers both theoretical and empirical works. Each lecture is organized around a theme, with themes changing every year as a function of recent debates in the scholarly community and current problems in the world. In the academic year 2020-21, topics will include elections in developed and developing democracies, voters (ir)rationality, media, interest groups, populism, democratic backsliding, discrimination, as well as several lectures on politics in autocracies. The course material will expand students’ capacity to think about policy and about relevant issues at the intersection of economics and political science.
Teaching
22 hours of lectures and 10 hours of seminars in the MT. 20 hours of lectures and 10 hours of seminars in the LT.
This year at least for MT, some or all of this teaching may have to be delivered through a combination of virtual webinars, online lectures, and virtual classes.
There will be a mock exam and a revision session in the ST (on-campus if possible or online).
Formative coursework
At least two written assignment for handing in per term (assignment will include some work with data sets provided by the instructor).
Indicative reading
Most of the reading is from journal articles; lists will be supplied at the start of each term. Two books are of particular interest for students to get started: T Besley, Principled Agents? Selection and Incentives in Politics, Oxford University Press, 2005 and T Persson & G Tabellini, Political Economics: Explaining Political Outcomes, MIT Press, 2000.
Assessment
Assessment path 1
Exam (50%, duration: 2 hours) in the summer exam period.
Essay (50%, 6000 words) in the ST.
Assessment path 2
Exam (100%, duration: 3 hours) in the summer exam period.
Students taking MSc Economics must take Assessment path 1 and will be required to submit the extended essay at the beginning of the ST.
Important information in response to COVID-19
Please note that during 2020/21 academic year some variation to teaching and learning activities may be required to respond to changes in public health advice and/or to account for the situation of students in attendance on campus and those studying online during the early part of the academic year. For assessment, this may involve changes to mode of delivery and/or the format or weighting of assessments. Changes will only be made if required and students will be notified about any changes to teaching or assessment plans at the earliest opportunity.
Key facts
Department: Economics
Total students 2019/20: Unavailable
Average class size 2019/20: Unavailable
Controlled access 2019/20: No
Value: One Unit
