Beyond Autonomy forces us to rethink the meaning of autonomy as a central organising pillar of federalism. Can federations exist beyond the autonomy realm designed to promote territorial self-governance and direct representation among various levels of government? How do governments of federal systems interact over the design and implementation of policy in highly topical areas such as security, where the optimal distribution of authority is blurred? Which mechanisms promote the compromise necessary in many of today's democratic federal systems? How do newly emerging federations in Africa and Asia design federal institutions in order to decrease conflict while promoting national solidarity? How can federal systems protect the rights of non-territorial minorities such as many indigenous peoples?.