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Emerging Federal Structures in the Post-Cold War Era pp 3–30Cite as

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The Emergence and Regression of Federal Structures: Theoretical Lenses and Analytical Dimensions

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Part of the Federalism and Internal Conflicts book series (FEINCO)

Abstract

The book chapter focuses on federal structures which are in the making. Federalization is conceived as a dynamic, basically reversible, non-linear process, which does not necessarily end in fully-fledged federations. Consequently, the analysis not only investigates why and how federal structures emerge, but also explores why they may regress, and thus departs from a static conception of federalism. The authors identify seven overlapping and interacting analytical dimensions, which help explain the emergence and regression of federal structures. These dimensions are mainly rooted in new institutionalism and structural approaches, while special emphasis is placed on the increasing role of international or, more generally, external actors in federalization processes. Grouping the eighteen cases investigated in this book along the outlined dimensions, the framework suggests similar as well as different trajectories and outcomes. It therefore allows to derive some tentative assumptions taken up by the case studies, which together cover all parts of the world.

Keywords

  • Federalization
  • Institutionalism
  • External actors
  • Federal society
  • Democratization
  • Authoritarianism

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Otto-Suhr-Institut für Politikwissenschaft, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany

    Sabine Kropp

  2. Institute of Federalism, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland

    Soeren Keil

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  1. Sabine Kropp
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  2. Soeren Keil
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Correspondence to Sabine Kropp .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Federalism, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland

    Soeren Keil

  2. Otto-Suhr-Institut für Politikwissenschaft, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany

    Sabine Kropp

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Kropp, S., Keil, S. (2022). The Emergence and Regression of Federal Structures: Theoretical Lenses and Analytical Dimensions. In: Keil, S., Kropp, S. (eds) Emerging Federal Structures in the Post-Cold War Era. Federalism and Internal Conflicts. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-93669-3_1

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