This collection of essays is designed to help scholars and practitioners understand the fluid and dynamic nature of federalism, with particular emphasis on the federal system in the United States. The book is written to aid our understanding of the contemporary question 'which federalism?'

Federal Dynamics aids understanding of how federal systems change over time. It assembles contributions from leading scholars in the field of comparative federalism to discuss the value of different analytical tools and theoretical approaches for exploring the dynamics of federal systems.

This book offers a new theory of federalism. The work critically discusses traditional federal theories and builds on theories that focus on the dynamics of federalism. It offers a definition of federalism and federal organizations that encompasses both new and old types of multi-tiered system. Unlike traditional federal theory, it is well-suited to research both multinational and mononational systems. It also takes into account the complexity of these systems, with bodies of governance at the local, regional, national, and supranational level. The book is divided into three parts: the first part outlines the contours of dynamic federalism, based on a critical overview of traditional federal theory; the second part develops comprehensive indexes to measure autonomy and cohesion of multi-tiered systems; and the third part focuses on the dynamics of federal organizations, with a special focus on institutional hubs for change. Dynamic Federalism will be an essential resource for legal, social, economic, and political scholars interested in federalism, regionalism, and de/centralization.

Case studies of the ECSC, the EURATOM and the EC to illustrate theoretical and practical problems in connection with the legal aspects of the relationship of such governmental international organizations to their member nations - covers the legal status and structure of such organisations, aspects of international law and jurisprudence, economic integration, etc., and includes comments on relevant constitutional law. Bibliography pp. 309 to 330.

Early Americans were suspicious of centralized authority and executive power. Casting away the yoke of England and its king, the founding fathers shared in this distrust as they set out to pen the Constitution. Weighing a need for consolidated leadership with a demand for states' rights, they established a large federal republic with limited dominion over the states, leaving most of the governing responsibility with the former colonies. With this dual system of federalism, the national government held the powers of war, taxation, and commerce, and the ability to pass the laws necessary to uphold these functions. Although the federal role has grown substantially since then, states and local governments continue to perform most of the duties in civil and criminal law, business and professional licensing, the management of infrastructure and public services: roads, schools, libraries, sanitation, land use and development, and etc. Despite the critical roles of state and local governments, there is little awareness-or understanding-of the nature and operations of the federal system. This Very Short Introduction provides a concise overview of federalism, from its origins and evolution to the key events and constitutional decisions that have defined its framework. Although the primary focus is on the United States, other federal systems, including Brazil, Canada, India, Germany, Russia, South Africa, Switzerland, and the EU, are addressed.

This book examines the link between constitutional asymmetry and multinationalism and the effects asymmetry produces on legitimacy and stability in federal and quasi-federal systems. This is done through a structured and exhaustive comparative analysis, covering states in Africa, America, Asia, and Europe. Contrary to traditional federal theory, contemporary scholars have linked constitutional asymmetry with multinational federal systems, by presenting asymmetry as a mechanism for diversity management. This book offers insights on whether and how constitutional asymmetry is linked with multinationalism and looks into the socio-economic, cultural-ideological, historical, and separatist factors that support the emergence of asymmetries. The work also provides a legal analysis of whether constitutional asymmetry is a condition or a threat to legitimacy and stability in federal systems. The book will be essential reading for academics, researchers, and policy-makers in law and political science interested in the fields of constitutional law, federal theory, multinationalism, and minorities.

′Bara and Pennington′s edited volume successfully fills a huge void in the market for introductory textbooks to comparative politics which previously offered either descriptions of political processes and systems or overviews of the methodology of comparative analysis. By applying major political science theories to overviews of the core elements of political systems, the authors both enhance our understanding of these elements and provide readers an excellent introduction to comparative explanation′ - Dr David Howarth, University of Edinburgh ′What is distinctive about this authoritative and comprehensive book on comparative politics is the way in which it is underpinned throughout by a theoretical analysis centred on a new institutionalist approach′ - Professor Wyn Grant, University of Warwick ′Comparative Politics takes a fresh and original approach to the field... it examines the role of structures, rules and norms in regulating the individual and collective behaviour of political actors. Each chapter provides a critical bibliography and key questions which will be particularly useful for students approaching Comparative Politics for the first time. Altogether this is a comprehensive and useful read which I warmly recommend′ - Ian Budge, Professor Emiritus Professor of Government, University of Essex ′This is a most useful book. Teachers of comparative politics often scramble around, with out-of-date textbooks and photocopies of more or less compatible articles. Here is a new book that gives an up-to-date, comprehensive and systematic introduction to the major strands of institutional thought and applies these to the major institutions, processes and policy areas. It will be a great help for many of us, academics and students alike′ - Peter Kurrild-Klitgaard, Professor of Comparative Politics, University of Copenhagen This book provides a distinctive new introduction to the study of comparative politics at undergraduate level. Rich in case study material and global in coverage, Comparative Politics sets out the basic theoretical and methodological foundations for studying different political systems as well as the key structures and actors of which they are comprised. Part One explores the nature of comparative methodology and introduces students to the major theoretical paradigms that seek to explain the operation of institutions in democratic states and facilitate comparison across different political systems. Part Two examines the institutional structures of the modern state, outlining the key features such as the electoral systems and territorial and functional divisions of government across a range of modern states. Part Three analyzes the role of key actors, such as voters and parties, interest groups and social movements, the bureaucracy and the judiciary. This book will be an essential primer for students on first-year courses in comparative government and politics as well as introductory courses in political science concepts and methods. Judith Bara is Senior Lecturer in Politics at Queen Mary, University of London and Research Fellow in Government, University of Essex. David S. Bell is Professor of French Government and Politics and Head of Social Studies and Law at the University of Leeds. Jocelyn Evans is Reader in Politics at the European Studies Research Institute, University of Salford. Catherine Needham is Lecturer in Politics at Queen Mary, University of London. Brendan O′Duffy is Senior Lecturer in Politics at Queen Mary, University of London. Mark Pennington is Senior Lecturer in Politics at Queen Mary, University of London. David Robertson is Professor of Politics, University of Oxford and Vice Principal, St Hugh′s College, Oxford.

In this forward-thinking book, fifteen leading scholars set forth cutting-edge agendas for research on significant facets of federalism, including basic theory, comparative studies, national and subnational constitutionalism, courts, self-rule and shared rule, centralization and decentralization, nationalism and diversity, conflict resolution, gender equity, and federalism challenges in Africa, Asia, and the European Union. More than 40 percent of the world’s population lives under federal arrangements, making federalism not only a major research subject but also a vital political issue worldwide.

Today, approximately half of all American states have lobbying offices in Washington, DC, where governors are also represented by their own national, partisan, and regional associations. Jennifer M. Jensen’s The Governors’ Lobbyists draws on quantitative data, archival research, and more than 100 in-depth interviews to detail the political development of this constellation of advocacy organizations since the early 20th century and investigate the current role of the governors’ lobbyists in the U.S. federal system. First, Jensen analyzes the critical ways in which state offices and governors’ associations promote their interests and, thus, complement other political safeguards of federalism. Next, she considers why, given their apparent power, governors engage lobbyists to serve as advocates and why governors have created both individual state offices and several associations for this advocacy work. Finally, using interest group theory to analyze both material and political costs and benefits, Jensen addresses the question of interest group variation: why, given the fairly clear material benefit a state draws from having a lobbying office in Washington, doesn’t every state have one? This assessment of lobbying efforts by state governments and governors reveals much about role and relative power of states within the U.S. federal system.