The State | Past, Present, Future

Debates about the role and nature of the state are at the heart of modern politics. However, the state itself remains notoriously difficult to define, and the term is subject to a range of different interpretations.  In this book, distinguished state theorist Bob Jessop provides a critical introduction to the state as both a concept and a reality.  He lucidly guides readers through the main approaches to the state and state power, paying due attention to the world of states and emphasising its relation to the wider social world. Essential themes in the analysis of the state are explored in full, including state formation, periodization, the re-scaling of the state and the state's future, the nature of crises in the state and wider political order, and the reciprocal relations between states.  Throughout, Jessop clearly defines key terms, from hegemony and coercion to government and governance. He also analyses what we mean when we speak about 'normal' and 'exceptional' states, and states that are 'failed' or 'rogue'. Combining an accessible style with expert sensitivity to the complexities of the state, this book will be core reading for students and scholars of politics and sociology, as well as anyone interested in the changing role of the state in contemporary societies.