POL SCI 732 / Laboratories of Democracy? Public Policy in Canada and other Federal Systems

3 unit(s)

A. Davidson

This course examines political dynamics and public policy making within federal systems. The course will probe the relative “innovativeness” of federal systems, theories of policy diffusion, the impact of federalism on principles of shared citizenship. The course will also explore the political dynamics that emerge in multi-level systems, including the opportunities or barriers for interest groups seeking to make change, as well as the distributional implications of federalism, exploring the inequalities that can emerge when some subnational jurisdictions lead while others lag behind. The course will also explore the evolution of Indigenous multilevel governance in several jurisdictions, and the implications of placing Indigenous governance within theories of federalism. The course will draw heavily on the Canadian case, but will also draw in comparative experiences and literature from the United States, the European Union, and other federal states.