Algorithms For Democratic Decision-Making

Graduate / Professional

This course takes a mathematical look at how democratic institutions fairly allocate representation and aggregate preferences to make public decisions. We will begin with the foundational economics work in social choice theory on the design of voting systems. We will then progress through more modern developments from computer science on preference aggregation and fair allocation, including applications to AI and online platforms. The final part of the course will focus on institutions for distributing voting power. This includes traditional systems like apportionment and redistricting, as well as more radical proposals like liquid democracy and citizens assemblies. Throughout, particular focus will be given to designing efficient algorithms with theoretical guarantees. TTh 2:35pm-3:55pm