Skyline College Library

Federal, Unitary & Confederate Government Systems Research Links

Finding Books
Databases for Finding Magazine & Journal Articles
Selected Web Sites
Federal, Unitary, Confederate Comparison Chart


Books:

Recommended Books: on Reserve at the Check Out Desk:

• Ellers, Joseph C. American Government: The Case for a Return to Federalism. 2000.
  - argues that the size and influence of the federal government must be reduced, while empowering state and local governments.
• Walker, David B. The Rebirth of Federalism. 2nd ed. 2000
  - "a history of American federalism and an analysis of its current somewhat conflicted condition."  (from the preface)
• Politics in States and Communities 10th ed. Call number: JK2408 .D82 2000
  Chapter 3 - "States, Communities and American Federalism"
• States' Rights and American Federalism: A Documentary History. Call number: JK311 .S73 1999
• "The States and Federalism" CQ Researcher September 13, 1996
  

Using the Catalog to Look for Library Books

The PLS Online Catalog is the online catalog to find books in Skyline Library and in all libraries in the Peninsula Library Sytem.

• Type in the name of your topic in the search box and click the Search button.
• In the box titled "ANY WORD(S)- TITLE, AUT, SUBJ", click the down arrow, scroll down and select "SUBJECT Headings (exact)".
• Type one of the subject headings listed below in the search box and click the Search button.
  • federal government - United States
  • state governments - United States
  • decentralization in government - United States
• Limit your search to books at Skyline by clicking on the Limit button at the right side of the page and then scroll down to near the bottom and click on Skyline College Library and then click OK.

Magazine & Journal Databases (to access articles):

InfoTrac OneFile Database: excellent general periodical database.
Available from off-campus--as long as you have a library card (library card bar code number is required). 

• To search only for articles that include the full text (the whole article) in the database, check the "articles with text" box under "Limit the current search" (below the text entry box)
• To narrow searches, combine concepts with AND.
• Once you find one article specifically on your topic, click on any relevant subject headings (near the bottom of the article page) to find more articles on that topic.
• Try one of the following searches:
  • federal-state controversies
  • state rights
  • state governments
  • federalism and state rights
  • federalism and state sovereignty
  • federalism and state government
  • federalism and federal government

Recommended Web Sites:

Unitary, Confederate and Federal Governments Chart

US Federalism: A comprehensive collection of original hypertext essays and annotated Internet resources relevant to US Federalism, focusing on the relationship between the national government and state governments. Several dimensions of Federalism are examined in five discrete sections: philosophical, historical, economic, political, and administrative. Each section contains a scholarly essay appended with an annotated list of links. The section on "History of U.S. Federalism" is especially relevant. Also included at the site are special essays on devolution and electronic democracy as they relate to Federalism. (Created by Kala Ladenheim of the School of Business and Public Management at George Washington University.)

Theories of Government: Part of the website, A More Perfect Union: An Exploration of American Democracy, from Thinkquest.

American Federalism, 1776 to 1997: Significant Events: by Eugene Boyd, Analyst in American National Government, Government Division, U.S. Dept. of State

"Whither Federalism?": by Martha Derthick,professor of Government and Foreign Affairs at the University of Virginia. This article is number 2 in series, "The Future of the Public Sector". Part of the Urban Institute's Assessing the New Federalism website (see below.)

Assessing the New Federalism (ANF): Assessing the New Federalism is an ongoing, multi-year research project by the non-partisan Urban Institute, which monitors the transfer of responsibility for social programs from the federal government to the state legislatures. Issues of health policy, income support, social services, and fiscal policy are central to the project, and authors from a variety of public and private institutions contribute to a database of Occasional Papers, Policy Briefs, and State Reports (.pdf format). Users may browse ANF publications by subject, or download statistical data from the ANF State Database on education financing, food stamps, or supplemental security income, among other variables.

Liberty & Limits: "The Federalist" Idea 200 Years Later: Website accompanying a PBS TV series.

Issues: Federalism / States' Rights: Links to other related sites (from Project Vote Smart)

Directory of Federalism Links

States News: Website of the Council of State Governments

Federalism Power is shared by a powerful central government and states or provinces that are given considerable self-rule, usually through their own legislatures. Examples: The United States, Australia, the Federal Republic of Germany.

Unitary System One central government controls weaker states. Power is not shared between states, counties, or provinces. Examples: Examples: China, United Kingdom (although Scotland has been granted self-rule). .

Confederal System Weak or loose organization of states agrees to follow a powerful central government. nations can choose to follow or not follow the lead of the weak central government. Examples: The Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), formerly known as the Soviet Union. Also, Switzerland's canton system and the Confederate States of America (1861-1865)

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last revised: 2-21-03 by Eric Brenner, Skyline College, San Bruno, CA