The Global Promise of Federalism honours the life and work of Richard Simeon, one of Canada’s foremost experts on federalism. It features a group of distinguished scholars of federalism from Canada and abroad who take up some of the fundamental questions at the heart of both Simeon’s work and contemporary debates. Does federalism foster democracy? Can it help bring together divided societies? How do federations evolve and adapt to changing circumstances?

In the course of answering these questions, the chapters in this collection offer a comparative perspective on the challenges and opportunities facing well-established federations such as Canada and Australia, as well as new federal and quasi-federal systems in Europe, Africa, and Asia. They examine the interplay between federal values, such as trust and mutual recognition, and institutional design; the challenges facing post-conflict federations; and the adaptability of federal systems in the face of changing social, economic, and cultural contexts.

Grace Skogstad is a professor in the Department of Political Science at the University of Toronto.

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David M. Cameron is a professor emeritus of political science at Dalhousie University, Halifax, and was a consultant in policy development in the Ministry of State for Urban Affairs, Ottawa.

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Martin Papillon is an associate professor in the School of Political Studies at the University of Ottawa.

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Keith G. Banting is the Queen's Research Chair in Public Policy and a professor in the School of Policy Studies and the Department of Political Studies.

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‘An excellent edited volume…It is valuable to both professors and students, and the volume’s comparative aspect heightens its relevance for classrooms at both the undergraduate and graduate levels in many different countries.’

Publius: The Journal of Federalism July 2014