The object of this book is to describe the institutional modifications of the Italian form of state more than ten years after the review of Title V – Part II of the Italian Constitution – for an audience that goes well beyond the Italian national boundaries. The fifteen essays that make up the book discuss the birth and evolution of the Italian regionalism (including those regions with Special Statutes) as well as reforms of 1999-2001. A particular attention is devoted to the role of autonomy in defining regional statutes, regional forms of government, and regulatory and administrative powers. These are subjects on which there is by now an abundant body of constitutional case law, which is extensively referred to by the chapters. The role of the regions vis-à-vis the local bodies and vis-à-vis the European and international order is also discussed, as the right to negotiate with foreign powers has now been conferred on the regions. Lastly, the volume presents contributions on regional finance and on the new law on fiscal federalism, as well as on regional powers in the area of health and welfare.

This monograph thoroughly illustrates the debate on federalism and regionalism as it emerged in Italy in the years preceding the unification of 1861 and then again in the early 1990s, a debate mainly centred on the deep socio-economic differences between the North and the South of the country. Torn between centripetal and centrifugal forces, the Italian regional model implemented with the 1948 constitution and strengthened in 2001 provokes questions that intersect with topical debates engaging scholars globally, potentially stimulating comparative discussions. While the future of Italian regionalism remains unclear, the Italian regional model combines lessons coming from different theoretical experiences, including federalism, sub-state nationalism, and the European unification process, representing a novel experiment fashioned by those who were looking for a compromise between unitary and federal schemes.

This volume examines the relationship between central government and local institutions, taking Italy as a case study to present a comparative perspective on how the Italian experience has influenced the global developments of federal and regional states. As the country with the longest standing regional system, Italy has a lot to tell countries that are dealing with similar issues in present times. Adopting a theoretical/analytical approach coupled with comparative analysis, this volume critically reflects on the changes brought to the Italian system of government by the reform of Title V of the Italian constitution, the reasons why further decentralisation has been resisted and offers a comparative overview of the place and contributions that the Italian experience has brought to the global debate on regionalism and federalism. The book is divided into two parts: Part I distils the essence of the evolution of Italian regionalism and the respective debate before and after 2001. While focusing on Italy, the various chapters situate it within the global framework of discussion. Part II reflects on how the Italian regional constitutional architecture contributes to the global debate, particularly focusing on the main innovations brought about by constitutional reform. The book will be essential reading for researchers, academics and policy-makers working in the areas of constitutional law and politics, and federalism. Chapters 5 and 8 of this book are freely available as a downloadable Open Access PDF under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives 4.0 license available at http://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/e/9781003104469

How should political power be divided within and among national peoples? Is the nineteenth-century theory of the sovereign and unitary State still fit for purpose in the twenty-first century? If not, can federalism provide a viable alternative model? This collection looks at federalism from the perspective of constitutional law. Taking the United Kingdom as a case study, Part One tracks the historical evolution of the 'Union' and explores the various expressions of federalism that emerged between the eighteenth and twentieth centuries. Part Two then assesses the experience of sovereignty-sharing with other nations in the context of international cooperation. Drawing on the expertise of the foremost commentators in their field, The United Kingdom and the Federal Idea provides a timely and reflective evaluation of how constitutional authority is being re-ordered within and beyond the United Kingdom.

This book introduces the reader to the Italian Constitution, which entered into force on 1 January 1948, and examines whether it has successfully managed the political and legal challenges that have occurred since its inception, and fulfilled the three main functions of a Constitution: maintaining a community, protecting the fundamental rights of citizens and ensuring the separation of powers.

This book offers a broad perspective of revolutionary territorial politics by putting secession in the context of other forms of revolutionary territorial politics. This allows for a more complex and profound account of secession and offers the reader a conceptual approach to politics of revolutionary discontent with territorial status quo. Second, the book provides a multidiscoursive approach which combines the efforts of constitutional and comparative constitutional law scholars with international lawyers, EU lawyers and specialists in international relations. This allows for multifaceted and, in that regard, more adequate, balanced and rich analysis of secession and the other forms of revolutionary territorial politics.

Anthropologists working in Italy are at the forefront of scholarship on several topics including migration, far-right populism, organised crime and heritage. This book heralds an exciting new frontier by bringing together some of the leading ethnographers of Italy and placing together their contributions into the broader realm of anthropological history, culture and new perspectives in Europe.