Federalism from the Perspective of Political Sociology: A Critical Re-reading of Classical and Modern Approaches

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Lecturer, Department of Sociology, College of Arts, Salahaddin University-Erbil, Erbil, Kurdistan Region, Iraq

2 PhD in Political Science and Visiting Professor at Ilam University, Ilam, Iran

10.22124/wp.2026.31572.3582

Abstract

This article offers a comprehensive review of federalism through the lens of political sociology, analyzing the evolution of federal theory from its classical foundations to contemporary interpretations. By critically examining both traditional and modern theoretical frameworks, this research illuminates the dynamic interplay between institutional structures and social forces that shape federal systems. The article proposes a novel theoretical proposition: "The Reflexive Federal Integration Framework (RFIF)," which redefines federalism as an adaptive socio-political process shaped by continuous dialectical tensions between centripetal and centrifugal forces. By integrating institutional, sociological, and process-oriented perspectives, this framework fills significant theoretical gaps in the existing literature. Through a comparative analysis of classical formalist approaches and modern empirical theories, the study demonstrates that federalism operates not merely as a constitutional mechanism, but as a complex socio-political phenomenon that responds to changing power dynamics, identity politics, and governance challenges. This research contributes to the field of political sociology by offering a more nuanced understanding of federalism's role in mediating tensions between unity and diversity, centralization and decentralization, and institutional stability and adaptive change in contemporary political systems

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