This is a master-level course on Political Economy. Through the lenses of empirical and theoretical
tools, the course will cover the following topics:

A. The origin and role of the State.
B. Nation-building.
C. Topics in votation and polarization.
D. Conflicts and violence: causes, consequences, and forecasting.

The course will provide a picture perspective of the literature on each topic and an in-depth
discussion of key papers.

• Main topics in political economy: gain a big-picture perspective of the literature and key tools to address research questions effectively.
• Critical thinking: acknowledge the strengths and limitations of each tool.
• Presentation skills: deliver a timely technical presentation.
• Group discussion: productive team discussions are essential for academic and policymaker work.

This is a course with continuous assessment of student performance. Attendance on the first day of class is mandatory for participation in the class. Attendance is mandatory. One absence is permitted; further absences will result in losing points, regardless of the reason for missing class.

The profession is increasing efforts to create and support an inclusive environment in academic circles. In line with this trend, everyone is invited to be mindful about their interactions. Resources for guidelines can be found here and here

• Presentation of a cut-edge academic paper (30% of the grade). I will provide a list of papers and facilitate the allocation of papers among students to find a good match with their interests. Depending on the class size, presentations might be organized in groups. Students’ suggestions for presenting papers are welcome but must be discussed beforehand.
• Discussion of a cut-edge academic paper (30% of the grade). Discuss cutting-edge research papers, place them in the literature, and identify strengths and weaknesses.
• Group discussion at the end of each class (40% of the grade). The last 15 minutes of each class will be dedicated to group discussion. The aim is to get comfortable discussing research with peers, work on productive and respectful group dynamics, and hopefully bring the discussion outside the classroom.

Guidelines and support for delivering presentations and discussions will be provided during the course. The organization of the group discussion will be adapted to the size of the class.

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federica.braccioli@wu.ac.at

4 ECTS