MAT 422 The Mathematics of Social Choice
Social Choice Theory is the study of collective decision making. The methods by which groups of people reach a consensus are of vital importance to the institution of society. This course will introduce a wide variety of decision making methodologies, the tools used to study their fairness, and if/how they can be manipulated for personal gain. Topics covered will include consensus function, fairness criteria, Arrow’s impossibility theorem, The Gibbard–Satterthwaite theorem, apportionment, and strategic voting. Political and practical applications of the material will be discussed throughout.