Carry the Two
Mathematics & Political Coalitions
Oct 9, 2024
Join Andrea Mock, a data scientist at Aura, Gunnar Carlsson, a former Stanford professor, Samin Aref, a university assistant professor, and Zachary Neal, a psychology professor as they explore the intersection of mathematics and political coalitions. They discuss how simplicial complexes can model coalition stability, the nuances of cluster analysis in the U.S. House, and uncover hidden coalitions through bill co-sponsorship data. Their fascinating insights reveal the complex dynamics driving political alliances amidst the current election landscape.
29:35
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Quick takeaways
- Mathematical frameworks, like simplicial complexes, provide insights into the stability and dynamics of political coalitions in democracy.
- The identification of a hidden bipartisan coalition among U.S. legislators highlights complex interactions that challenge traditional views of partisanship.
Deep dives
Modeling Political Coalitions with Simplicial Complexes
Simplicial complexes serve as a mathematical framework to model political coalitions by representing them as interconnected structures composed of vertices and edges. In this context, a vertex can represent political agents such as parties or voters, while the edges signify potential coalitions among these agents. This approach allows researchers to analyze how different configurations or coalitions may interact, revealing insights into the stability of various political structures. By using homology theorems, the study investigates the stability of configurations, emphasizing that more stable coalitions enable greater flexibility in political dynamics.
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