# Teaching I teach at the intersection of political science, economics, philosophy, and artificial intelligence, and I serve as the Coordinator for Studies at the [Politics, Philosophy and Economics programme](https://studyppe.com/) at the Faculty of Social Sciences. ## Courses in 2026/27 All courses are taught in English at the Faculty of Social Sciences, Charles University. Winter-semester courses first, then summer. Descriptions follow the course catalogue. ### Politics, Philosophy and Economics of Artificial Intelligence This course looks at artificial intelligence as a social phenomenon. We look at it through the PPE lens, showing its political, philosophical, and economic relevance. The aim of the course is to (1) build conceptual understanding of AI in society, (2) develop empirically grounded situational awareness, and (3) gain hands-on experience with AI governance challenges. Compulsory for PPE · JPB064 · Winter semester · 6 ECTS [Course page in SIS](https://is.cuni.cz/studium/eng/predmety/index.php?do=predmet&kod=JPB064&skr=2026) ### Reasoning and Decision-Making Methods This course builds practical skills for navigating complex and often adversarial information environments typical for the digital age. We will apply the lens of Bayesian epistemology and behavioral sciences and explore methods of practical reasoning, evidence evaluation and decision-making under uncertainty. The course connects to the current discussions of algorithmic mediation, synthetic media, or misinformation dynamics. We will hold a forecasting tournament, engage in calibration training, try reasoning alongside AI forecasters, and hold an epistemically virtuous debate tournament. The aim of the course is to help students develop the meta-cognitive skills necessary for developing their intellectual autonomy and accessory to quality decision-making. JPB286 · Winter semester · 6 ECTS [Course page in SIS](https://is.cuni.cz/studium/eng/predmety/index.php?do=predmet&kod=JPB286&skr=2026) ### Introduction to Economics I This is an entry-level economics course. We will work together to build understanding of economic agents’ behavior, markets, and public policy. The course covers fundamental concepts such as scarcity, choice, supply and demand, market structures, externalities, and public goods. We will also tackle the questions of efficiency, equity, and justice. The goal is to equip students with the foundational tools and frameworks that enable analysis of (micro)economic issues while also recognizing the complexities of the interplay between economic, philosophical, and political dimensions of social phenomena. Compulsory for PPE · JPB097 · Winter semester · 6 ECTS [Course page in SIS](https://is.cuni.cz/studium/eng/predmety/index.php?do=predmet&kod=JPB097&skr=2026) ### Introduction to Economics II The course focuses on macro-level economic phenomena. Students will deepen their economic knowledge, exploring the questions of economic growth, development, and the interplay between economic factors, institutions, and social reality. The course covers concepts such as national income accounting, macroeconomic aggregates, fiscal and monetary policies, and open economy. The students will master foundational macroeconomic concepts and examine basic macroeconomic problems, appreciating how economic factors mesh with political and other considerations to shape society. By the end of the course, students should be equipped with the tools and frameworks necessary for an elementary understanding of macroeconomic phenomena. Compulsory for PPE · JPB098 · Summer semester · 6 ECTS [Course page in SIS](https://is.cuni.cz/studium/eng/predmety/index.php?do=predmet&kod=JPB098&skr=2026) ### Behavioral Political Economy This course examines the interplay between individual behavior, political institutions, and public policy through the lens of behavioral economics and social psychology. We will explore how psychological biases, heuristics, and cognitive limitations influence political decision-making processes, both on the side of voters and policymakers. We will critically assess the implications of these behavioral insights for the functioning of democratic institutions in the digital age, focusing especially on the challenges posed by misinformation, political polarization, and the rise of behaviorally informed governance. JPB287 · Summer semester · 6 ECTS [Course page in SIS](https://is.cuni.cz/studium/eng/predmety/index.php?do=predmet&kod=JPB287&skr=2026) ### Progress Studies This course looks at the dynamics of human progress through an interdisciplinary lens. Students examine how scientific, technological, economic, and social advancement occurs, what barriers impede progress, and how we might overcome them in the 21st century. The course focuses both on theoretical understanding and practical application and aims to provide tools for systematic thinking about civilization’s trajectory and ways to achieve positive change. JPB063 · Summer semester · 6 ECTS [Course page in SIS](https://is.cuni.cz/studium/eng/predmety/index.php?do=predmet&kod=JPB063&skr=2026) ## Also taught **AI and Society: Advanced Themes** (JPB288). A small-group advanced seminar for students who had completed PPE of AI, built around adversarial collaboration: students were assigned to steelman opposing positions on contested questions about AI and human life. Taught in 2025/26; no longer offered. ## Teaching mobilities **Central European University**, Vienna (May 2026). A teaching week hosted by Andres Moles and Matteo Pascucci, with two sessions in the Ethics of AI course: one on intelligence, agency, and responsibility in the context of generative AI, one a scenario-mapping exercise in which students explored democratic futures under AI. **University of Oslo** (October 2025). Erasmus+ teaching mobility on generative AI in the context of a sustainable future, hosted by Henrik Skaug Sætra, emphasising the social and political impacts of AI. **Uniwersytet Jagielloński**, Krakow (May 2019). Erasmus+ teaching mobility to the Institute of Economics, Finance and Management. **Universidade do Porto** (April 2019). Erasmus+ teaching mobility to the Faculty of Economics. ## Supervision I supervise bachelor’s theses in the PPE programme and co-teach the BA Thesis Seminars (JPB104, JPB105) with Jakub Franěk. Topics I supervise connect to AI governance, democratic theory, institutional design, and behavioral political economy. Prospective students are welcome to [get in touch](https://petrspecian.com/contact.html) with a short outline of the question they want to work on.