ForumFedCast Forum of Federations

Why is language such an important factor in how people live their daily lives in federations? How does language impact on how people interact with governance systems and each other in federal and multilevel countries?
In the first part of our two part mini-series on language policy and federalism, we explore language and its relationship to identity, community, and the state. And we delve in to the complex issue of language dynamics in Canada, India and South Africa.
Joining us on this episode:
Leslie Seidle, Public Policy Consultant and Senior Advisor, Forum of Federations
Asha Sarangi, Professor of Political Science, Jawaharlal Nehru University
Linda Cardinal, Assistant Vice Rector Research, Université de l’Ontario français
Miranda Huron, Director of Indigenous Affairs and Education, Capilano University
Michelle Maziwisa, Programme Manager, Human Rights and Democratisation in Africa Master's Programme, Centre for Human Rights, University of Pretoria
The Forum’s compendium on language policy in federal and devolved countries will be out soon! Stay tuned to forumfed.org and our social media channels for more info.
If you're looking for more cutting-edge multilevel governance content, check out our Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube channels.
Don’t forget to stay in touch! Send us your thoughts on this and other episodes as well as ideas for future topics you’d like to hear discussed to podcast@forumfed.org.
Hosted by Jamie Thomas and Liam Whittington.
Written and produced by Liam Whittington.

What have federations in different parts of the world been doing to address climate change? What strategies are governments using to cultivate change? And what about the other players involved in the climate equation – how do they fit in?
In our second and final episode on federalism and climate change, we’re asking big questions and perusing the practical. We’re taking a look at the intricacies of climate governance in federations on four continents to explore the current state of play in 2023 and ask: what can federalism contribute to averting climate catastrophe?  
Joining us on this episode:
Alan Fenna, Professor of Politics, Curtin University, Western Australia.
Kathryn Harrison, Professor of Political Science, University of British Columbia.
Carsten Sieling, Former Mayor of the City of Bremen. 
Warathida Chaiyapa, Lecturer and Assistant Director at the School of Public Policy, Chiang Mai University.
The Forum’s comparative book on climate and federalism is out now! Check out Climate Governance and Federalism – A Forum of Federations Comparative Policy Analysis, available open access! 
Professor Harrison’s paper on climate governance in Canada is also available now! Download The Challenge of Federalism for Canadian Climate Policy for free from the Forum website!
If you're looking for more cutting-edge multilevel governance content, check out our Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube channels.
Don’t forget to stay in touch! Send us your thoughts on this and other episodes as well as ideas for future topics you’d like to hear discussed to podcast@forumfed.org.
Written and hosted by Jamie Thomas and Liam Whittington.
Produced by Liam Whittington and Zeeniya Waseem.

How can federations tackle the critical issue of climate change? What are the opportunities and challenges of making progress toward the goals of the Paris Agreement in federal countries?
In the first part of our series on federalism and climate change, we explore the sometimes complicated dynamics of climate governance in federal countries, including how a multilevel governance structure can support or block progressive policy, and what is more effective in terms of fostering change: a big carrot or an even bigger stick?
Joining us on this episode:
Alan Fenna, Professor of Politics, Curtin University, Western Australia.
Kathryn Harrison, Professor of Political Science, University of British Columbia.
Carsten Sieling, Former Mayor of the City of Bremen. 
Warathida Chaiyapa, Lecturer and Assistant Director at the School of Public Policy, Chiang Mai University.
Stay tuned to our website - forumfed.org - for our forthcoming Canada policy paper and comparative volume on climate change and federalism, coming May 2023! 
If you're looking for more cutting-edge multilevel governance content, check out our Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube channels.
Don’t forget to stay in touch! Send us your thoughts on this and other episodes as well as ideas for future topics you’d like to hear discussed to podcast@forumfed.org.
Written and hosted by Jamie Thomas and Liam Whittington
Produced by Liam Whittington and Zeeniya Waseem

What has the changing nature of COVID-19 taught us about governance dynamics in federations? And in what ways has federalism been effective and ineffective in various responses to the pandemic over time?  
In this episode we explore how federal responses to COVID-19 have changed over the course of the crisis in Latin American, European, African, and Asian federations.
Joining us on this episode:
Laura Flamand, Research Professor and Coordinator of the Network for the Study of Inequalities, El Colegio de Mexico.
Eva Maria Belser, Professor and Chair of Constitutional and Administrative Law, University of Fribourg.
Zemalek Ayele, Associate Professor and Director of the Center for Federalism and Governance Studies, Addis Ababa University.
Rekha Saxena, Professor of Political Science, University of Delhi.
Nico Steytler, South African Research Chair in Multilevel Government, University of the Western Cape.
Felix Knüpling, Vice President of Programs, Forum of Federations.
Written and hosted by Jamie Thomas and Liam Whittington.
Produced by Liam Whittington with production support from Jamie Thomas.
Be sure to check out the Forum’s book Federalism and the Response to COVID-19 – A Comparative Analysis and IACFS’s book Comparative Federalism and COVID-19: Combating the Pandemic for free online.
For more on federalism and COVID-19 check out forumfed.org. You can also find us on Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube.
Don’t forget to stay in touch! Send us your thoughts on this and other episodes as well as ideas for future topics you’d like to hear discussed to podcast@forumfed.org.

Is federalism a solution to the challenges of building sustainable peace in fragile and conflict-affected states? Can a federal peacebuilding approach be codified into a federalism ‘pathway for peace’?  
We explore the application of federalism as a peacebuilding mechanism, including opportunities, limitations, and how we can achieve more sustainable results, drawing on the experiences of three fragile states: Sudan, Somalia, and Yemen.
Joining us on this episode:
Muna Luqman, Yemeni activist, peace builder, and founder of Food4Humanity.
Marie-Joëlle Zahar, Professor of Political Science and Director of the Research Network on Peace Operations at the Université de Montréal.
Abdi Aynte, co-founder and Managing Director of Laasfort Consulting Group.
Mai Amir, Sudanese governance consultant and technical specialist.
This episode is brought to you by the Forum of Federations in partnership with Food4Humanity.It appeared in the Geneva Peace Week 2021 digital series.
Written and hosted by Liam Whittington.
Produced by Asma Zribi, Emilie Tremblay and Liam Whittington.
To get in touch with the podcast, email podcast@forumfed.org.
For more on federalism and peacebuilding, check out forumfed.org or find us find us on Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube.

With gender equality now a priority in international development, how are donors and development practitioners supporting the empowerment women and girls around the world? What is the connection between gender equality, governance and development? How can we build a more equal world?
In the final episode of our series on gender equality and federal & decentralized governance, we explore Canada and Switzerland’s gender equality and governance development assistance approaches, and the work being done on the ground to improve the lives of women and girls. We’ll also consider the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on global gender equality.
Joining us on this episode:
Ursula Keller, Senior Policy Advisor and Head of the Governance Unit, Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation.
Marc Banzet, Director, Natural Resources and Governance, Global Affairs Canada.
Ilana Trombka, Director General, Federal Senate of Brazil.
Sosena Mulatu, Gender Specialist, Forum of Federations.
Dr. Christine Forster, Associate Professor and Associate Dean International, University of New South Wales.
Written and hosted by Diana Chebenova and Liam Whittington.
Produced by Asma Zribi and Liam Whittington.
Download the full Gender Equality and Federalism report.
Get in touch with the show at: podcast@forumfed.org
For more on federalism and multilevel governance, check out forumfed.org. You can also find us on Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube.