Territorial Politics and Federalism Research Network (TPF-RN)

 

The Territorial Politics and Federalism Research Network (TPF-­RN) wishes to provide a platform for scholars interested in the broad themes of territory and federalism, within but also outside of the European Union. Topics of interest to the TPF-RN span a wide array of subjects, ranging from territorial elections/electoral dynamics and multi-level governance, to issues related to regional paradiplomacy (both European and global), the reform of government structures, the re-definition of territory and regional spaces, consociationalism, ethnic conflict, the effect of federalism/decentralisation on government processes, outputs and outcomes, and broader issues regarding questions of participation, legitimacy, identity and efficiency.

The research network preaches methodological openness, innovativeness and pluralism. Its members use of a variety of research methods derived from different epistemological and ontological outlooks. Hence, the network is open to research using a diversity of approaches such as econometrics, legal analysis, case-studies, ethnographic methods or thick explanatory narratives.

In line with such epistemic and methodological openness, the research network aims to span disciplines. It already contains a number of public administration, political science, sociology, and law members and would be happy to welcome political geographers, historians, economists and other members of the social science and humanities community. Similarly, it aims to bring together members at all levels of professional development, from advanced graduate students to senior professors.

 

The main aims of the research group include the following:

- Provide a platform for information exchange between members, from CfP (e.g. conferences,

workshops, edited volumes, special issues) to a variety of CfA (e.g. Masters and PhD

programmes, research projects, job opportunities);

- Facilitate coordination for joint ventures, from conference panels and workshops to collaborative research work;

- Sponsor the outcome of such coordination;

- Encourage interaction between members at different levels of professional development and from different disciplinary/methodological backgrounds;

- Guide and help graduate students and junior scholars within such a broad research area;

- Foster greater dialog between the academic and policy worlds;

- Increase existing synergies with parallel networks belonging to different associations such as the ECPR, the PSA, the APSA or the IPSA. To this end, the TPF-RN has already agreed to work in close collaboration with the ECPR's Standing Group on Federalism and Regionalism as well as the Political Studies Association's Specialist Group on British and Comparative Territorial Politics. It will also explore potential for collaboration with the APSA section on Federalism and Intergovernmental Relations and the IPSA research committees on Comparative Federalism & Federation (RC28) and on Comparative Studies on Local Government & Politics (RC05).

 

Once the TPF-RN is up and running, it will also contact a number of policy relevant bodies, such as DG Regio (European Commission), the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities (Council of Europe), the Committee of the Regions (EU body) or the World Bank to explore potential for greater links between the TPF-RG and these policy-orientated institutions.

Chair: Michaël Tatham, Assistant Professor, Humboldt-­‐Universität zu Berlin, Germany.

Co-­Chair: Michael W. Bauer, Professor, Humboldt-­‐Universität zu Berlin, Germany.

 

Statistics on confirmed members:

Country of main institutional affiliation: 18

UK (17), German (16), Italy (8), US (10), Hungary (4), Spain (6), Switzerland (3), Sweden (4), France (4), Netherlands (5), Belgium (4), Austria (1), Ireland (1), Poland (1), Canada (1), Norway (2), Romania (1), Japan (1).

 

Professional category:

- Master/Research Assistant/PhD candidate (22),

- Post-­‐doc/Researcher/Assistant Prof/Lecturer (24),

- Senior Researcher/Associate Prof/Senior Lecturer/Reader (14),

- Professor (28).

 

Additional information on the Network is available currently on the website: https://sites.google.com/site/michaelroberttatham/home/ces-research-network-territorial-politics-and-federalism.