Voice in an Asymmetric Federation? The U.S. Territories as Intergovernmental Actors
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
2024
Publisher
Taylor & Francis (Routledge)
Source Publication
Regional and Federal Studies
Source ISSN
1359-7566
Original Item ID
DOI: 10.1080/13597566.2022.2053522
Abstract
United States territories—home to more than 3.5 million Americans—are excluded from the safeguards of American federalism. Unlike states, they are subject to the plenary power of the U.S. Congress, lack core legal protections, and are denied meaningful political representation. As such, territories must find alternative approaches to exercising political voice in the American federal system. Yet territorial-federal relations have received virtually no empirical attention from federalism scholars. To address this gap, we examine territories’ efforts to advance their interests within both bottom-up and top-down intergovernmental councils, as well as through territory-specific advocacy. Our analysis of organizational participation, agendas, and policy outcomes suggests that territories—while denied access to traditional mechanisms of shared rule—do participate in intergovernmental relations, through a combination of bottom-up and top-down multilateral intergovernmental councils (IGCs), as well as bilateral intergovernmental lobbying. Challenges to exercising political voice vary across these institutions.
Recommended Citation
Rocco, Philip B.; Beck, Sarah; Deida, Daniel Bernard; Gleeson, Kevin; Lopez, Uriel; Marick, Aidan; and Porter, Benjamin, "Voice in an Asymmetric Federation? The U.S. Territories as Intergovernmental Actors" (2024). Political Science Faculty Research and Publications. 119.
https://epublications.marquette.edu/polisci_fac/119
Comments
Regional and Federal Studies, Vol. 34, No. 1 (2024) 63-86. DOI.