Prof Jan Erk delivers lecture on Federalism in Montreal and Brussels

The lecture looked at the two metropolitan regions of Montreal and Brussels show remarkable similarities: they are both contested cities where conflict and compromise define the relations between various communities.

He pointed out that both cities municipal politics contain tensions between greater metropolitan authorities and smaller municipal governments, as well as questions of redistribution between poorer urban districts and richer suburban ones. In sum, both cities represent a microcosm of the political and social various divisions in both countries.

The lecture provided a basic overview of the patterns of conflict and compromise in both. One question main question that students should further reflect upon is the relative importance of formal policies and regulations vs. informal and uncodified social and demographic dynamics.

Prof Erk is Universitair Hoofd Docent (Senior lecturer/Reader) in Comparative Politics. He has research interests in various areas of Comparative Politics, including federalism, nationalism, ethnic conflict, territorial politics, political cleavages, public policy, constitutional politics, interest groups, religion and secularism, international and domestic levels of analysis, immigration, far right parties, European integration and comparative historical research.

What unites these is an interest in questions of unity and diversity is work on these topics has appeared in numerous peer-reviewed journals. In addition to his research output, Prof. Erk has also been awarded with the 2008 Casimir prize for the best teacher of the Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences.