This book bridges theory and practice to rethink the contested relationship between federalism and democracy, with a focus on South and Southeast Asia. Bringing together philosophy, law, political science, and area studies, it offers a fresh interdisciplinary perspective on power sharing, democratic governance, and federal design.
The first part develops key concepts by examining the intellectual history of federalism and democracy, the normative role of participation, cooperative power sharing, and the rule of law. The second part turns to practice, analyzing federal country cases including India, Nepal, Pakistan, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Myanmar. These chapters address minority rights, subnational autonomy, citizen's participation, and the tensions between federalism, democratization, and authoritarianism. By highlighting both opportunities and challenges, the book provides fresh insights into how federal systems can shape or undermine democratic representation, accountability, and innovative governance in diverse societies.
Vishnu Kumari Tandon
is a Governance and Citizen Engagement Consultant at the World Bank. Her research focuses on federalism and participatory governance, and she is the author of
Nepal's Federalism and the Pursuit of Deliberative Democracy
(2025). She has over a decade of policy and research experience internationally.
Laure Gillot-Assayag
is an associate researcher at EHESS and lecturer at Sciences Po, France. A specialist in political theory and intellectual history, she studies compromise in democracy. Her research on federalism was carried out during stays at McGill and UC Berkeley. She co-organized the 2022 EHESS international conference on federalism.
Christine Forster
is a Professor in the Law and Justice Faculty, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia. Christine's research includes federalism and advancing gender equality, the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women, gender-based violence and sex discrimination. She has published widely in these areas.
