Advanced Introduction to Federalism

Elgar Advanced Introductions are stimulating and thoughtful introductions to major fields in the social sciences, business and law, expertly written by the world’s leading scholars. Designed to be accessible yet rigorous, they offer concise and lucid surveys of the substantive and policy issues associated with discrete subject areas.

This timely Advanced Introduction explores federalism as a subject of intellectual inquiry, discussion and debate. Alain-G. Gagnon and Arjun Tremblay examine the role federalism plays in achieving fairness, justice and equality, as well as the impact it can have on the survival of political systems. Ultimately, they argue that the constitutional division of powers between levels of government remains a significant institutional blueprint for the present and future of democratic societies.

Key Features:

• Recent and emerging trends in federalism scholarship
• Illustrates the complex, evolving and distinctly political nature of federalism
• Explores federalism in the context of postcolonial and settler colonial states
• The impact of cutting-edge issues including COVID-19, populism and democratic backsliding on federalism

Providing an accessible survey of the key concerns and questions surrounding federalism studies, this Advanced Introduction will be vital reading for students and scholars of political science, international studies and international affairs. It will also be an important guide for policy-makers seeking insight into the effectiveness of federal responses to political challenges.

Alain-G. Gagnon, Professor and Canada Research Chair in Quebec and Canadian Studies, Département de science politique, Université du Québec à Montréal and Arjun Tremblay, Associate Professor, Department of Politics and International Studies, University of Regina, Canada