Professor Torun Dewan & Professor Valentino Larcinese

This course enhances a student’s understanding of the characteristics, determinants and consequences of public-policy making in liberal democracies.

It provides theoretical foundations from both economics and political science, whilst developing an expansive knowledge of theoretical and applied areas of political economy.

Does democracy promote economic growth and welfare? What determines the size and evolution of the welfare state? Is regulation done in the interest of consumers? Is there a feasible third way between markets and governments in the delivering of public services? To answer these and many related questions it is necessary to understand the complex relationships between politics and economics.

Governments and political processes define the boundaries of economic relationships and the rules of market interactions. Moreover, governments themselves allocate resources and these allocations reflect complex political bargaining. Understanding the interaction between politics and economics can help us to gain insight into the key questions of public policy making.