2020 Faculty Courses Liberal arts and basic science courses Humanities and social science courses
Social Modeling A
- Academic unit or major
- Humanities and social science courses
- Instructor(s)
- Atsushi Iwai
- Class Format
- Lecture (Zoom)
- Media-enhanced courses
- -
- Day of week/Period
(Classrooms) - 5-6 Mon (H121,H111)
- Class
- -
- Course Code
- LAH.T107
- Number of credits
- 100
- Course offered
- 2020
- Offered quarter
- 3Q
- Syllabus updated
- Jul 10, 2025
- Language
- Japanese
Syllabus
Course overview and goals
This course presents basic techniques to model social decision-making procedures. As major topics, conceptual components of social choice theory are to be lectured. Social choice theory is a theoretical framework for analysis of combining individual preferences to reach a collective decision. It relates Condorcet's voting paradox and Arrow's impossibility theorem. The scope of this course also includes topics of the informational basis in decision making. The aim of this course is to provide the students with an opportunity for acquiring a conceptual understanding of social decision-making and an opportunity for developing independent research interests in this field.
Course description and aims
Each student is expected to understand the basic framework of social choice theory and Arrow's impossibility theorem.
Keywords
voting, rationality, social choice theory, Arrow's impossibility theorem
Competencies
- Specialist skills
- Intercultural skills
- Communication skills
- Critical thinking skills
- Practical and/or problem-solving skills
Class flow
Major topics related to social choice theory are to be learned through lectures and discussions. Students are encouraged to read related books and reference materials before attending classes. As most topics are mathematical, it is often required to spend much time to understand theorems and their proofs.
Course schedule/Objectives
| Course schedule | Objectives | |
|---|---|---|
| Class 1 | Representation of Relationships | Understand the basic notion of two-term relationship. |
| Class 2 | Individual Rationality | Understand the basic notation method of individual rationality. |
| Class 3 | Interpersonal Comparison of Utility | Fully understand the notion of interpersonal comparison of utility. |
| Class 4 | Representation of Preferences 1 | Fully understand the notation method of social preferences. |
| Class 5 | Representation of Preferences 2 | Fully understand the notation method of personal preferences. |
| Class 6 | Social Choice 1 | Understand social welfare function (SWF) in Arrow's theory. |
| Class 7 | Social Choice 2 | Understand the basic structure of Arrow's impossibility theorem. |
Study advice (preparation and review)
To enhance effective learning, students are encouraged to spend approximately 100 minutes preparing for class and another 100 minutes reviewing class content afterwards (including assignments) for each class.
They should do so by referring to textbooks and other course material.
Textbook(s)
No textbook will be used this semester.
Reference books, course materials, etc.
Amartya Sen, Collective Choice and Social Welfare, North-Holland.
Evaluation methods and criteria
During the term, various exercises are held. There will also be three hand-written reports. Assessment will be based on exercises (total 20%), and; three hand-written reports (total 80%).
Related courses
- LAH.T209 ： Social Modeling B
- LAH.T308 ： Social Modeling C
- LAH.T108 ： Decision Making A
- LAH.T208 ： Decision Making B
- LAH.T307 ： Decision Making C
Prerequisites
Students who like mathematics or logic are all welcomed.
Contact information (e-mail and phone) Notice : Please replace from ”[at]” to ”@”(half-width character).
Atsushi IWAI, iwai[at]gunma-u.ac.jp
Office hours
Contact Personnel (office): Rm 813, 8 Fl., West Bldg. 9. Contact by e-mail in advance to schedule an appointment.
Other
This course includes the content of science.