Political Science 30: Politics and Strategy, Lec 1, UCLA

An introduction to strategic thinking in politics

This first lecture from UCLA's Political Science 30 introduces strategic interaction as it applies to politics. The course description presents it as a starting point for understanding how people and institutions make choices when their outcomes depend on one another.

Method and approach

The wider course uses game theory and other formal modeling tools to make sense of political behavior. For a viewer new to those methods, this opening session sets the vocabulary and the frame the rest of the series builds on.

Who should watch

• Beginners curious about how formal models explain political outcomes
• Political science students who want an accessible entry point into game theory

Context within the series

The lecture comes from a winter 2008 run taught by Professor Kathleen Bawn. The playlist points to other lectures in the same series, so watching in order gives the fullest picture.