US State Politics, Federalism, and Intergovernmental Relations

Abstract

The place of US state governments in the American federal system has evolved slowly since their first serious foreign relations forays in the 1950s. This chapter seeks to conceptualize these changes.1 It begins by describing the modernization and professionalization of US state governments and how parts of the executive branch beyond the governor’s office became internationalized. Next, the chapter summarizes US states’ strategies to seek international economic development, looks at changing intergovernmental relations and examines how international activities link to New Federalism. Finally, the constitutional issues surrounding US states’ foreign relations activities are reviewed.