The course is meant to introduce the student to the basic theoretical apparatus of Decision Theory and Game Theory by providing the main concepts and techniques as to (a) choices in conditions of ignorance or uncertainty, (b) non-cooperative games and their equilibria, (c) the problem of bargaining and its solutions (d) cooperative games in coalitional form and their solutions, with a particular attention to applications. Throughout the course basic issues about individual vs group rationality, efficiency, equity and power will be analyzed. The course intends to provide a theoretical framework to interpret many economic and social phenomena stemming out of individual and/or group strategic interaction.
The course is tailored for a wide public of students both in economics and in the social sciences; the mathematical tools are kept at the very basic level, but some knowledge of probability theory and of the methods and concepts introduced in a basic course in Microeconomics are highly advised.