The theme of this course is “Consensus Building.”
This course offers opportunities to:
(i) know expectations to consensus building research on the basis of differences between social choice and consensus building;
(ii) learn a mathematical approach to consensus building and results of mathematical comparison between unanimity rule and majority rule;
(iii) experience consensus building and discuss difficulty and significance of consensus building;
(iv) have knowledge of consensus and consensus building in society.
This course aims to promote students’ understanding of difficulty and significance of consensus and consensus building and to cultivate the students’ abilities to convey their understanding to others concisely.
Upon completion of this course, students should be able to:
1) Describe consensus and consensus building;
2) State differences between social choice and consensus building.
3) Explain and discuss difficulty and significance of consensus building.
4) Give a mathematical definition of consensus building and describe results of comparison between unanimity rule and majority rule.
5) Explain consensus and consensus building in society.
consensus; consensus building; unanimity rule; majority rule
Specialist skills | ✔ Intercultural skills | ✔ Communication skills | ✔ Critical thinking skills | ✔ Practical and/or problem-solving skills |
Each class consists of lecture, group work, group discussion, etc.
After each class, each student submits a short summary of what the student has learned in the class and a report on the theme of the class.
Course schedule | Required learning | |
---|---|---|
Class 1 | Guidance; Self-introduction; Description of consensus and consensus building | State at least three topics this course treats. Make at least three new friends in the class. Describe consensus and consensus building. |
Class 2 | Expectations to consensus building research | State differences between social choice and consensus building. |
Class 3 | Group work on consensus building | Explain difficulty and significance of consensus building. |
Class 4 | Group discussion on consensus building | Discuss difficulty and significance of consensus building. |
Class 5 | A mathematics approach to consensus building | State a mathematical definition of consensus building. |
Class 6 | Mathematical comparison between unanimity rule and majority rule | Describe results of comparison between unanimity rule and majority rule. |
Class 7 | Consensus and consensus building in society | Explain consensus and consensus building in society. |
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.
None specified.
Course materials will be provided via T2SCHOLA and other means.
Reference book (in Japanese):
“Consensus Building,” (Keiso-syobo, 2011, ISBN-13: 978-4326301966)
Assessment will be based on assignments submitted every week.
Each week’s assignment consists of a short summary of what you learned in the class and a report on the theme of the class (about 800 characters).
The deadline of submission is 5 pm on Monday the week after.
There are no make-up assignments for any absence from classes, regardless of the reason.
Read the course materials posted on T2SCHOLA to find out the content of the class you missed.
Prospective students should have interests in consensus building.
Prof. Takehiro Inohara, inostaff[at]shs.ens.titech.ac.jp
When inquiring by emails, include the course title in the subject, and your student ID and name in the body of the email.
First class meets in October 12th. No classes on October 5th and November 23rd.