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Alejandra Reyes, Alice Valdesalici, Andreas Ladner, Elisabeth Alber, Enid Slack, Francisco Velasco Caballero, Gopi Krishna Khanal, Graham Sansom, Greta Klotz, Henrik Scheller, Jaap de Visser, Karl Kössler, Khim Lal Devkota, Kleber Castro, Meryl Justin Chertoff, Mónica Unda-Gutierrez, Nico Steytler, Niranjan Sahoo, Penélope Vaca Avila, Rotimi Suberu, Sol Garson, Su Fei Tan, Zach Taylor, Zemelak Ayitenew Ayele

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This open access handbook examines the role and place of local government in 16 federal or federal-type countries and to explore their relationship with the other orders of government and their impact on the system of federalism as a whole.

SPECIAL NOTE FROM THE FORUM:

As the order of government closest to the people, local governments have historically played, and continue to play, a significant role in systems of governance. Local government is an essential component of any democratic society, providing critical services, representation, and accountability to its citizens. By working with other orders of government, local governments can help create thriving, vibrant communities that benefit everyone.

In today’s times, where the world is seemingly getting smaller, communities have a renewed interest in the role that local government may offer. The majority of the population in most countries resides in cities, the governance of which is not only more complex but also has the ability to impact significantly on the rest of the country. Local governments are also often first responders in times of disaster or emergencies. These dynamics were forcefully brought to the surface during the Covid-19 pandemic.  This volume, The Forum of Federations Handbook on Local Government in Federal Systems, seeks to continue the work of the Forum of Federations on local government in building on past scholarship and offering key insights that will be of use to both academics and practitioners. Bringing together authors from across the globe, it seeks to broaden and update current understandings around local government issues within 16 federal or federal-type countries. The book aims to identify some extrapolatory lessons that might be learnt from this Forum of Federation’s signature comparative analysis and to inform our work in established as well as emerging federal countries. We would like to extend special thanks to the editor, Nico Steytler, for his tireless efforts to steer this project and ensure successful publication. We consider the book an important contribution to the study of federalism and hope that it will inspire discussion and further research.

-Felix Knüpling – Vice President, Programs