IDEAGOV, the International Center for Decentralization and Governance, based at the Universidade de Santiago de Compostela (Spain) is envisioned as a global hub for cutting-edge research and policy dialogue on decentralization, governance, and federalism—both within the European Union and worldwide.
Building on the foundations of DERNET - Political and Fiscal Decentralization Network, IDEAGOV enhances its capacity to lead interdisciplinary research and foster collaboration among economists, political scientists, and geographers.
The center will continue to host a dedicated division focused on Spanish national decentralization and governance (RIFDE - Red de Investigadores en Financiación Autonómica y Descentralización Financiera en España), while DERNET is absorbed into IDEAGOV.
Latest News
7 may 2026
IDEAGOV is pleased to announce the publication of a new Working Paper entitled “Revenue Decentralization and Vertical Fiscal Imbalance: A Survey,” authored by Manuel E. Lago (Paris School of Economics), Santiago Lago-Peñas (Universidade de Santiago de Compostela), Jorge Martinez-Vazquez (Georgia State University) and Cristian Sepulveda (Farmingdale State College). This paper offers a comprehensive and up-to-date survey of subnational revenue autonomy and vertical fiscal imbalances (VFI) in...
New Working Paper in the IDEAGOV Working Paper Series
12 mar 2026
IDEAGOV is pleased to announce the publication of a new Working Paper entitled “ Asymmetric Decentralization in France: A Municipal-Centered Exception ,” authored by Guy Gilbert (ENS Paris-Saclay), Thierry Madiès (University of Fribourg) and Sonia Paty (University of Lyon 2, GATE Lyon Saint-Etienne). The paper analyzes asymmetric decentralization through the specific case of France, a unitary state that has developed distinctive forms of territorial asymmetry. Unlike cases where asymmetry...
New Working Paper in the IDEAGOV Working Paper Series
26 feb 2026
IDEAGOV is pleased to announce the publication of a new Working Paper entitled “Asymmetric Decentralization and Inequality” , authored by Pablo Beramendi (Duke University) and Melissa Rogers (Claremont Graduate University). This paper explores how the organization of power in decentralized systems affects economic inequality. It examines how spatial inequalities and asymmetric decentralization interact to shape redistributive policies and progressive taxation. The study shows that not all...
New Working Paper in the IDEAGOV Working Paper Series
12 feb 2026
IDEAGOV is pleased to announce the publication of a new Working Paper entitled “Asymmetric decentralisation and municipal governance in South Africa.” authored by Nara Monkam ( University of Pretoria) and Panashe G. Taruvinga (University of Pretoria). The paper examines how asymmetric decentralisation affects service delivery within South Africa’s local government system. Although municipalities belong to a single constitutional sphere, differentiated expenditure responsibilities and...
New Working Paper in the IDEAGOV Working Paper Series
9 feb 2026
Place: CEA – Centro de Estudos Avanzados, Parque de Vista Alegre, Santiago de Compostela Date: 9 March 2026 On 9 March 2026 , the Centro de Estudos Avanzados (CEA) in Santiago de Compostela will host the international conference “Democracy and Global Governance: 21st Century Challenges” , bringing together leading scholars and institutional representatives to discuss some of the political and governance challenges of our time. The event will count with the collaboration and support of...
International Conference on Democracy and Global Governance: 21st Century Challenges
5 feb 2026
IDEAGOV is pleased to announce the publication of a new Working Paper entitled “The Delicate Balance of Special Autonomy Agreements: Lessons from Indonesia and the Philippines” , authored by Sarah Shair-Rosenfield (University of York). The paper examines whether asymmetric decentralisation can fulfil its dual promise of granting meaningful regional self-governance while maintaining peace and territorial integrity in deeply divided societies. While asymmetric arrangements are often promoted...
New Working Paper in the IDEAGOV Working Paper Series
IDEAGOV
International Center for Decentralization and Governance
Conferences and Workshops
IDEAGOV hosts high-level academic events, including international conferences and specialized workshops that foster exchange among scholars and practitioners. Outcomes are published in special issues of peer-reviewed journals and edited volumes. The center also maintains a dedicated working paper series to promote early-stage research.
Research Projects
IDEAGOV leads and contributes to major research initiatives funded by the European Union and other international bodies. These projects address key challenges in decentralization and governance, encouraging collaboration across disciplines and institutions throughout Europe.
Policy Reports
IDEAGOV applies its interdisciplinary expertise to produce evidence-based reports commissioned by international organizations. These contributions support informed decision-making and advance policy development in fiscal federalism, decentralization, and governance.