Shared Rule in Federal Political Systems: Conceptual Lessons from Subnational Switzerland

Mueller, Sean (2014) Shared Rule in Federal Political Systems: Conceptual Lessons from Subnational Switzerland. Publius: The Journal of Federalism, 44 (1). pp. 82-108. ISSN 0163-660X. E-ISSN 1747-7107. (doi:10.1093/publius/pjt009) (The full text of this publication is not currently available from this repository. You may be able to access a copy if URLs are provided)

Abstract

This article reconceptualizes shared rule and uses novel data to measure it, thus addressing two shortcomings of federal literature. First, while most studies focus on self-rule, one question that is largely neglected is how lower-level governments can influence politics at a higher level in the absence of ‘‘second’’chambers. The answer is through shared rule. A second shortcoming is that even when addressing this question, scholars concentrate on constitutional-administrative aspects of vertical intergovernmentalism, neglecting more informal, ‘‘political’’ dynamics. Comparing the twenty-six Swiss cantons allows drawing two lessons for federal studies: That shared rule is multifaceted and complex, and that to study informal territorial actors as well as direct political processes is indispensable to understand how power is actually distributed in federal political systems.

Item Type:	Article
DOI/Identification number:	10.1093/publius/pjt009
Uncontrolled keywords:	Switzerland, federalism, shared rule
Subjects:	J Political Science > JN Political institutions (Europe)
Divisions:	Faculties > Social Sciences > School of Politics and International Relations Faculties > Social Sciences > School of Politics and International Relations > Centre for Federal Studies
Depositing User:	Paolo Dardanelli
Date Deposited:	18 Sep 2014 17:40 UTC
Last Modified:	29 May 2019 13:06 UTC
Resource URI:	https://kar.kent.ac.uk/id/eprint/43012 (The current URI for this page, for reference purposes)