Federalism and democracy are often understood as inherently compatible. Federalism has been viewed as strengthening, increasing or 'multiplying' democracy, while the latter has been viewed as a requirement for the former. The relation between the two, however, is much more complex. In our advanced seminar, we address this complex relationship from a theoretical and conceptual approach, followed by an examination of the German case and then in comparison with the North American cases of Canada and the United States. In doing so, we will deal with several quite representative cases of the varieties of federal democracy. As learning goals, the seminar is designed to help students gain not only stronger knowledge of the German political system, but also intensify their familiarity with concepts necessary for the study of the German and other systems of government in general.