The Presidential Election Game Could Change the Way You Think About Presidential Elections and American Politics in General

Steven Brams uses game theory, a branch of mathematics that examines the smartest choices for people in strategic situations, to shed new light on the dynamics at work in a U.S. presidential election. Both compelling and timely, The Presidential Election Game presents mathematical models to help readers better understand campaign victory and failure in today's political climate.

Wellesley, MA (Issues Wire / PRWEB) December 19, 2007 -- As a timely and relevant demonstration of the value of simple mathematical models, The Presidential Election Game may change the way you think about presidential elections and, for that matter, American politics in general. Using modern game theory and decision theory, Brams demonstrates why certain campaign strategies are more effective than others and compellingly supports his analysis with historical evidence.

As Brams explains in the preface, "I believe that the search for scientific models that illuminate the complexities of this game is a challenging and fascinating intellectual task. When a better understanding of the game also suggests how some of its problematic features might be solved, and the rules of the game are changed to correct these features, then there may be practical payoffs as well."

Rather than listing statistics about the voting behavior of citizens or detailing histories of past campaigns, the book instead provides an analytic treatment of strategy in the race for the presidency. Featured in publications such as the Chicago Tribune and the Baltimore Sun, the material presented in this book can help readers make sense of the complexities of today's political campaigns.

Praise for The Presidential Election Game:

"The writing is crisp, and the insights are prodigious. In short, the reading is rewarding."
--Library Journal

"The Presidential Election Game could be a useful adjunct to a course on mathematical modeling. It can illustrate how even mathematically simple models can lead to useful conclusions, and it should stir up many ideas in the mind of the curious reader."
--American Mathematical Monthly

"This book uniquely serves to introduce non-specialists to ideas that will improve their understanding of American presidential politics and, if heeded, improve the system as well."
--Presidential Studies Quarterly

"An important and original book which will be essential reading for any serious student of presidential elections in the United States."
--Journal of American Studies

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