The Mathematics of Collective Choice

This course unit is intended for computer scientists and presents the main models and results in the field of collective decision-making. 

Deriving a collective decision from individual opinions is a complex problem… that can be addressed using fairly simple mathematics. This course covers the mathematical formalization of this problem, beginning with the work of Borda and Condorcet (late 18th century) and extending to contemporary developments. These developments open up innovative avenues for improving democratic life. There will be a brief focus on computational decision-making.