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Political Science Canadian

The Legitimacy Clash

Challenges to Democracy in Multinational States

by (author) Alain-G Gagnon

Publisher
University of Toronto Press
Initial publish date
Nov 2022
Category
Canadian, General, Comparative Politics
  • Paperback / softback

    ISBN
    9781487547554
    Publish Date
    Nov 2022
    List Price
    $29.95
  • Hardback

    ISBN
    9781487547547
    Publish Date
    Nov 2022
    List Price
    $75.00
  • eBook

    ISBN
    9781487547578
    Publish Date
    Dec 2022
    List Price
    $29.95

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Description

In the coming decade, we may see the advent of multinational federalism on an international scale. As great powers and international organizations become increasingly uncomfortable with the creation of new states, multinational federalism is now an important avenue to explore, and in recent decades, the experiences of Canada and Quebec have had a key influence on the approaches taken to manage national and community diversity around the world.

 

Drawing on comparative scholarship and several key case studies (including Scotland and the United Kingdom, Catalonia and Spain, and the Quebec-Canada dynamic, along with relations between Indigenous peoples and various levels of government), The Legitimacy Clash takes a fresh look at the relationship between majorities and minorities while exploring theoretical advances in both federal studies and contemporary nationalisms. Alain-G. Gagnon critically examines the prospects and potential for a multinational federal state, specifically for nations seeking affirmation in a hostile context. The Legitimacy Clash reflects on the importance of legitimacy over legality in assessing the conflicts of claims.

About the author

Alain-G. Gagnon holds the Canada Research Chair in Québec and Canadian Studies at the Université du Québec à Montréal. His most recent books include, as author, The Case for Multinational Federalism and Minority Nations in the Age of Uncertainty; as co-author, Federalism, Citizenship, and Quebec; and, as co-editor, Federal Democracies as well as Political Autonomy and Divided Societies and Multinational Federalism.

Alain-G Gagnon's profile page