Metropolitan Governance in the Federalist Americas: Strategies for Equitable and Integrated Development

Despite rapid metropolitanization throughout the Americas and widespread interest in “megacities,” policy discussions about the governance structures needed to address public service challenges and citizen representation in the context of increasing inequalities are rare. This book provides original research and analysis of the principal metropolitan areas in six federalist countries of the Americas. The volume’s cross-national study shows that existing institutional structures and political systems impede collaboration among governments in metropolitan areas. Given disinterest on the part of federal governments, regional governments—states and provinces—seem to provide the most pragmatic bases for constructing metropolitan governments that are capable of efficiently delivering services. The panel will feature presentations by authors of five of the country case studies (Brazil, Canada, Mexico, the United States, and Venezuela), followed by commentary by two urban governance experts.