The State: Past, Present, Future

Debates about the role and nature of the state are at the heart of modernpolitics. However, the state itself remains notoriously difficult to define, andthe term is subject to a range of different interpretations. In thisbook, distinguished state theorist Bob Jessop provides a critical introductionto the state as both a concept and a reality. He lucidly guides readers throughall the major accounts of the state, and examines competing efforts to relatethe state to other features of social organization. Essential themes in theanalysis of the state are explored in full, including state formation,periodization, the re-scaling of the state and the state’s future. Throughout,Jessop clearly defines key terms, from hegemony and coercion to government andgovernance. He also analyses what we mean when we speak about ’normal’and’exceptional’ states, and states that are ’failed’ or ’rogue’.Combiningan accessible style with expert sensitivity to the complexities of the state,this short introduction will be core reading for students and scholars ofpolitics and sociology, as well as anyone interested in the changing role of thestate in contemporary societies.