Federalism in the making. Federalism in de-making.

Location: School of International Studies, via T. Gar 14, Room 114
Time: from 14:15 to 16:00

Guest Speaker

• Francesco Palermo, Director, Institute for Comparative Federalism, EURAC Research, Bolzano

Abstract
​The inaugural Eurac Federalism lecture looks at the basics of federal system by challenging some clichés. In the first part, the traditional ways to form federal systems – coming-together and holding-together – will be critically looked at. In fact, these two models of “making” federalism deeply differ in time, purpose and institutional functioning. In the second part, the challenges of “making federalism by de-making” are dealt with. First, examples of holding-together federalism and current challenges such as independence trends are analysed. Second, the question is asked as to whether, in such systems, ethnicity does trump governance. Finally, the apparently exceptional case of the EU is looked at, arguing that coming-together federalism is no longer an option in the contemporary world.