Today’s democracies usually have at least two orders of government, each entrusted with designing and executing public policy. Against this backdrop, this course examines the origins, design, functioning, historical evolution, implications, and contemporary challenges associated with federalism and decentralization. It introduces students to different manifestations of federal, quasi-federal, and decentralized governance while also delving into the nuances distinguishing federalism and decentralization. By the end of the course, students will be able to define and explain the concepts of federalism and decentralization; analyze the advantages and disadvantages of federal and decentralized governance; identify whether a country is federal; measure the degree of de/centralization; and understand the historical development and context of federalism and decentralization across different countries. As part of the course, students will participate in a simulation game in which they will negotiate the creation of a new federation.