Syllabus

Course Meeting Times

Seminar: 1 session / week, 2 hours / session

Course Description

Political Economy I explores the major social science paradigms for analyzing relations among state, economy, and society. Through readings, lectures and discussion of original texts in political liberalism and individualism, neo-classical economics, Marxism, sociological and cultural theories, and neo-institutionalism, the seminar examines the fundamental assumptions on which our understanding of the social world and our research are based.

Prerequisites

This course is open to MIT graduate students in all departments and to MIT undergraduates with prior coursework in economics or political science and permission from the instructors.

Requirements

• All weekly readings must be read before class meetings
• Two 12-15 page essays on assigned topics.
• Class participation

Grading

Grading is based mainly on the two essays, with some consideration of class participation.