Decentralization as a tool for conflict resolution

The Political Capacity of President Biya as a Guarantor of Peace and Unity in Cameroon: A System Legitimising Perspective on Solutions to the Anglophone Crisis

“…Menendez (2015) highlighted that standard norms in decentralised structures can be produced through mutual recognition of legal standards as suggested by the constitutional theory. This has been supported in the study of Keil and Anderson (2018), where it was found that decentralisation has become a prominent tool for conflict resolution. Therefore, constitutional change can be recommended as one of the best ways to resolve the Cameroon Anglophone crisis.…”

Political parties in federal systems: key players in the federal game

“…Brancati (2008) makes a strong point that the strength of regionalist and nationalist parties is determining the effects of federalism and decentralization. Other authors add that power-sharing mechanisms have to accompany self-rule autonomy in order to prevent parties from flagging territorial demands (see Keil and Anderson 2018).…”

Narratives of the Process: Parliamentary debates about Catalonia's referendum of 2017

“…Territory and the territorial distribution of power, which has often been studied as a contentious factor, has been crystallized in the so‐called ‘paradox of decentralization’ (Erk & Anderson, 2009). In short, where there are territorial tensions, decentralization is seen as a means of taming secessionism, while at the same time, the institutionalization of proto‐state structures makes secession look more viable, thus creating a slippery slope towards secession (Keil & Anderson, 2018). This may be mediated by what Connor (2001) calls relative political marginalization, reflected in the peripheries often being vetoed out of participating in state‐wide policy and decision‐making.…”