The Forum of Federations is the world’s leading international network on decentralization and federalism. One of the fundamental challenges for federations in our time, is to assure that governments at different levels work together in an effective and accountable way. The Forum of Federations focuses on that challenge.
The Forum has 20 years experience working in this field and is uniquely positioned to provide training, expertise, and practical education on federalism and federal structures in multiple fields. Check out our range of expertise here: Policies
To learn more about federalism and The Forum we invite you to explore our new and updated website!
Our website – including its online library – offers the world’s most comprehensive online resource on federalism and multilevel governance for both researchers and practitioners. We have also enhanced our federalism library search engine and hope you will find it useful to filter though over 1,000 research documents on federalism, policy, and governance topics.
We also encourage you to explore our extensive collection of books and specialized reports. Our core principle is “learning from each other”.
The Forum provides practical, proven and effective service to governments, political parties, and civil society entities that want to make democracy work more effectively in complex and diverse contexts.
The successes of the organization build on the contributions of its very highly dedicated and motivated staff, the commitment of its board and the support of our partner countries: Australia, Brazil, Canada, Ethiopia, Germany, India, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan and Switzerland. I am truly privileged to lead such an organization.
Featured Writings
Comparative summary | Rupak Chattopadhyay, Felix Knüpling | Taylor & F
As the world entered 2021, over 90 million people had reportedly been infected with COVID-19 around the globe, resulting in an estimated 2 million deaths.
Introduction | SpringerLink
Abstract. A resurgence of interest in federalism worldwide in the 1990s contributed to the establishment of the Forum of Federations in 2000. About 40% of the world’s people live in arguably federal countries.
Governance and Finance of Metropolitan Areas in Federal Systems
This volume examines the governing structure and finances of metropolitan areas in federal systems. Taking a comparative approach, each chapter examines two large metropolitan areas in federal countries.
Finance and Governance of Capital Cities in Federal Systems
Using capital cities in Australia, Belgium, Canada, Ethiopia, Germany, India, Mexico, Nigeria, South Africa, Switzerland, and the United States as case studies, contributors examine federal policies towards capital cities, with a particular emphasis on how capital cities are funded and governed, and the extent to which the federal government compensates them for their unique role.
The Unimagined Canadian Capital: Challenges for the Federal Capital Region
The Forum in collaboration with the Centre on Governance of the University of Ottawa has published The Unimagined Canadian Capital: Challenges for the Federal Capital Region (ed) Rupak Chattopadhyay and Gilles Paquet. The publication is the outcome of a colloquium held on January 28-29, 2011. The colloquium gathered some thirty experts and practitioners to reflect on the challenges facing Canada’s federal capital region.
Dialogues on Political Parties and Civil Society in Federal Countries
Booklet 9 explores the patterns of mutual interaction between political parties and federal institutions in the following twelve federal countries. Contributors examine the multi-level structures of electoral competition and the vertical linkages of state-wide party organizations in their country, as well as processes of government formation and the coordination of public policies across territorial levels via party channels.
Dialogues sur la Diversité et l’Unité dans les Pays Fédéraux
Centrée sur les grands thèmes de la gouvernance fédérale, la collection présente des études de cas illustrant la diversité, les défis et les possibilités qu”offre le fédéralisme dans divers pays. Ce volume est le septième de la série de livrets produite dans le but de fournir des renseignements accessibles et comparatifs sur les régimes fédéraux. Ce septième livret de la série s”intéresse à la diversité et à l”unité dans 12 pays dotés de caractéristiques fédérales : l”Allemagne, l”Australie, la Belgique, le Brésil, le Canada, l”Espagne, les Etats-Unis, l”Ethiopie, l’Inde, le Nigeria, la Russie et la Suisse.
Dialogues on Diversity and Unity in Federal Countries Paperback
Booklet 7 examines the balance of diversity and unity in the following federal or federal-type countries: Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Ethiopia, Germany, India, Nigeria, Russia, Spain, Switzerland and the United States of America.
Interview with Rupak
Included below are some of Rupak Chattopadhyay writings.
- Speech– “Democratic Federalism and Accommodating Diversity” at the Regional Conference on Federalism and Decentralization in the East Africa UNECA, Addis Ababa, 25 February 2013
- Speech– “Federal Spirit and Multilayered Federalism” for a Public Lecture at the Myanmar Peace Centre
Yangon, 18 November 2013 - Interview – with Mr. Chattopadhyay- by the Corporate (New Business Age Magazine)
- Governance of Metropolitan Regions in Federal Systems
- Diversity, Democracy and Federalism: issues, options and opportunities
- The challenge of peace in Nagaland
- Intergovernmental Relations: A comparative survey of structures and processes
- Security Management and Federalism
- Finance and Governance of Capital Cities in Federal Systems
- Peace and Security provisions in the Consultation Draft Constitution of the Federal Republic of Somalia
- Why Metropolitan Regions Matter
- Sub-national Second Chambers and regional representation: International Experiences Submission to Kelkar Committee on Maharashtra
- Intergovernmental Relations Presentation 2016
- Building Federalism: International Lessons and Perspectives