Game Theory for the Social Sciences: Conflict, Bargaining, Cooperation and Power

This textbook introduces fundamental concepts of game theory and demonstrates its uses and application in the social sciences. Written in plain English and without overwhelming mathematical jargon, it serves as an invaluable resource for undergraduate students in economics, law, political sciences, and related social sciences. Starting from non-cooperative games and progressing to cooperative games, it explores a wide range of topics, including the analysis of zero-sum games, voting rules and their practical implications, and other applications of game theory. Uniquely, it emphasizes cooperative concepts and their normative applications, providing a fresh perspective.

With Game Theory for the Social Sciences, readers will be equipped with the analytical tools to analyze conflict resolution, bargaining strategies, cooperative decision-making, and the dynamics of power relationships. Through engaging examples drawn from real-world scenarios, readers will develop a solid understanding of how game theory can be applied to diverse fields in social sciences.

Pierre Dehez offers a consistent kit of classic game theoretic tools, from equilibrium concepts to bargaining solutions and power indices, all illustrated with insightful examples and applications.

Françoise Forges, Professor of Economics, Université Paris Dauphine-PSL

This book is written clearly and pedagogically without resorting to difficult mathematics. It provides many different and interesting examples from problems of fair sharing, bargaining to voting systems and many others. It is a perfect introduction to this subject too often quoted but too often misunderstood.

Alan Kirman, Directeur détudes, Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales, Paris, and Emeritus Professor, Aix-Marseille University