A research centre focused on the theme of federalism is unique within the landscape of research institutes in Italy, but still in line with other similar centres in the world. We study the distribution and balance of power, responsibilities, and resources in multi-level government settings typical of many contemporary states and areas.

The Centro Studi sul Federalismo (CSF) focuses on four areas of research and intervention at national, European and supranational levels:

• Domestic Federalism
• Economy and Development
• Security and Defence
• Governance of Globalisation

These are interdependent and interdisciplinary areas, as illustrated in the 2023 Programme Guidelines, approved on 28 October 2022 by the Participants' Assembly (which brings together the founding and co-founding members of the CSF).

In addition, there is a transversal area concerning the theory and history of federalism.

For an overview of the CSF’s projects and activities, please see (in Italian): 

Linee programmatiche 2023

Rapporto sull’attività 2021 
Rapporto sull'attività 2020 
Rapporto sull'attività 2019

The transformations in modern society, from a socio-economic and political standpoint, have led to a crisis with regard to the traditional structure of the nation state. Its powers have been eroded from the top down, in favour of new international power centres and institutions, and from the bottom up, with the increasingly insistent demand for decentalisation in favour of local government.

One of the Centre’s priorities is the study of these processes with a view to forging links with the academic world, political parties, trade unions, employers’ and sectoral organisations, the general public, local authorities and national, European and international institutions.
With these objectives in mind, beginning in May of 2002, the Centre has promoted a series of seminars and conferences also in collaboration with other research organisations. The aim is to provide an occasion for an in-depth debate on such issues, also involving public opinion, which is often distracted or misinformed with respect to these seemingly distant processes which have instead a direct influence on the lives of all citizens.

Previous publications are available in the webarchiving section of our website

ISSN: 2038-0623

In this section you can download the PDF version of our previous and current research projects' papers.
A complete list of projects carried out by the Centro Studi sul Federalismo's researchers and their professional profiles are available in the sections Researchers

Previous publications are available in the webarchiving section of our website

This joint project led by Centro Studi sul Federalismo (CSF) and Istituto Affari Internazionali intends to investigate the current structure of the EU system of governance/government in its different policy areas and related topics: (1) Supranationalism and intergovernamentalism; (2) Representation and Democracy; (3) The challenges of differentiated integration; (4) Economic governance; (5) Europe in the World.

The project will also tackle the future developments of the European mechanism of governance, putting forward a series of policy and institutional recommendations for the medium and long term, aimed primarily at improving the democratic nature and the effectiveness of the European decision-making processes.

The contributions of leading national and international experts will be published in a CSF/IAI paper series and available on the institutes’ websites. One seminar in Rome and one international conference in Brussels will be held in 2016 to present the results of the project.

The Policy Papers of the Centro Studi sul Federalismo offer a series of documents based on in-progress researches and aiming at informing and involving both scholars and a wider audience, spreading data, ideas and proposals, and stimulating the cultural and scientific debate, as well as the political, social and economic reflection and confrontation.In brief, the Discussion Papers present research papers still under elaboration, with the aim of elaborating more structured and complete documents (research papers), available on the institutional website of the Centre for Studies on Federalism.

Previous publications are available in the webarchiving section of our website

Previous publications are available in the webarchiving section of our website

Previous publications are available in the webarchiving section of our website