Federalism: An Introduction provides students of political science as well as practitioners and scholars with a concise, jargon-free overview of the various forms of federal government found around the world as well as the basic principles, practices, benefits, and challenges characteristic of the federal form of government. The book defines federalism and examines the constitutional, legal, financial, and philosophical underpinnings of federal systems, incorporating examples not only from well-known and long-established federations such as US and Canada but countries that have only recently adopted a federal form of government.