28: Federalism and Intergovernmental Relations

Sean Nicholson-Crotty, University of Missouri, nicholsoncrottys@missouri.edu

The theme for the 2012 meeting of the American Political Science Association is Representation and Renewal. As the organizers note, these are fundamental questions because representation is increasingly necessary in the large, diverse, and complex states and systems that typify the modern world. Federal systems have often been designed to address these same governance challenges, and proponents have long recognized that the dual citizenship inherent in these arrangements poses unique challenges to both the normative principles and the practical application of representative government.

There are myriad representation questions that can benefit from the unique perspective of federalism and intergovernmental relations scholars, particularly today. Do the institutions of the European Union provide adequate representation to the citizens of member states when addressing deteriorating economic conditions in some parts of the federation? Can the world community build democratic institutions capable of governing states comprised of regions, tribes, and sects that agree on very little? Should international organizations like the World Bank encourage or discourage multi-level representation when helping developing nations craft fiscal and monetary policy? What are the consequences of state representatives in the U.S federal system challenging national laws and even going so far as to suggest that their constituents abandon representation in the national government?

We hope that authors will address these and other questions from a diverse set of perspectives. Both theoretical and empirical proposals are encouraged, as are those that explore linkages between federalism and representation in domestic, comparative and international settings. Along with scholarly import, authors are encouraged to also consider the practical policy implications of their research.