Report by Ashley B. Simpson, MSc. Teaching and Research Associate

This semester, I am excited to join the team of more than 30 instructors at the Department of Socioeconomics, teaching in the Sustainable Economics application series. Through these courses, we have the opportunity to engage nearly every student enrolled in Business, Economics, and Social Science—around 650 students per semester. In addition to the larger lecture led by Jonas Bunte, each student takes a smaller application course of about 30 students, exploring the overarching themes of globalization, society, and the environment, while focusing on corporations, citizens, or state actors.

Within this framework, I am offering The Political Economy of Elections. The timing could not be more relevant. Last year, we witnessed more elections worldwide than any other year in history, yet public trust in democracy continues to erode, and many policy problems feel increasingly intractable. Against this backdrop, the course examines why voters and politicians make the choices they do, and how economic outcomes both shape—and are shaped by—these decisions.

Elections shape the future. Who wins power determines how we confront challenges such as poverty, inequality, climate change, and economic stability. But what drives voter behavior? How do electoral rules shape politicians’ strategies and the policies they pursue? And can institutional design make democratic systems more resilient and effective in addressing global crises?

In The Political Economy of Elections, students explore the political economy of voting and representation. We examine how voters respond to economic conditions, how politicians time policies to maximize electoral success, and how institutions such as independent central banks or proportional representation systems influence governance. Case studies include the impact of inflation on recent U.S. and European elections, the role of economic crises in leadership change in Latin America, and the political durability of climate policies across different electoral systems.

By the end of the semester, students will have a deeper understanding of how electoral incentives shape policy decisions—and, ultimately, how the design and functioning of democratic institutions affect our collective capacity to solve pressing global problems.

See shorts on our YouTube channel about all the interesting course topics here. 

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