Föderalismus, Demokratie und Inklusion - Federalism, Democracy and Inclusion
Two competing perspectives on the role of federalism in divided societies prevail: accommodation and integration. An accommodationist reading of federalism suggests drawing subunit boundaries to provide minority groups with self-rule whereas integrationist forms of federalism argue that units should be designed to cut across group lines. While these two perspectives offer important insights on securing democracy in divided societies, they both overlook the effect of federal design on “others,” that is, groups that face exclusion in the design of political institutions and in post-conflict governance processes. This session of Turn on Federalism considers and compares the discussions on federalism, power-sharing and “others” in divided societies. Questions that will be discussed include:
How can federal designs move beyond a focus on ethnic group accommodation and ensure the rights of others as well? How can non-dominant groups affect federal institution-building and discussions in post-conflict societies? What best practices exist for inclusion of others in federal and sharing arrangements?