<P>We live in an increasingly federalized world. This fact has generated interest in how federal institutions shape politics, policy-making, and the quality of life of those living in federal systems. In <I>Federalism and Democracy in Latin America,</I> Edward L. Gibson brings together a distinguished group of scholars to examine the Latin American experience with federalism and to advance our theoretical understanding of politics in federal systems.</P><P>By means of theoretical essays and case studies, the authors address questions of how and when federal institutions matter for politics, policy-making, and democratic practice. They also offer conceptual approaches for studying federal systems, their origins, and their internal dynamics. <I>Federalism and Democracy in Latin America</I> provides case studies on the four existing federal systems in Latin America–Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, and Venezuela–and their experiences in dealing with a variety of issues, including federal system formation, democratization, electoral representation, and economic reform.</P><P>Contributors: Edward L. Gibson, Northwestern University; Alfred Stepan, Columbia University; Scott Mainwaring, University of Notre Dame; Ernesto Calvo, University of Houston; Alberto Diaz Cayeros, Stanford University; Tulia Gabriela Falleti, University of Pennsylvania; Enrique Ochoa Reza, Columbia University; Michael Penfold-Becerra, Instituto de Estudios Superiores de Administración, Venezuela; David J. Samuels, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities; Richard Snyder, Brown University of Illinois.</P>