The State Theories and Issues

There has been a resurgence of interest in the state by political analysts, as the much-anticipated crisis of the nation-state engendered by globalization has largely failed to materialize. This text aims to provide an accessible, comprehensive and contemporary introduction to the full range of theoretical perspectives on the state and the key contemporary issues and controversies that divide them.

List of Figures and Tables

xi

Preface and Acknowledgements

xiii

Notes on the Contributors

xv

Introduction: Theories of the State

1

(189)

Colin Hay and Michael Lister

Defining the state

4

(5)

The concept of the state

9

(4)

Recent developments in state theory

13

(1)

Beyond the state?

14

(1)

Structure of the book

15

(5)

Further reading

20

(1)

1 Pluralism

21

(18)

Martin Smith

The roots of pluralism

22

(3)

The rise of American pluralism

25

(3)

The reformulation of pluralism

28

(1)

Developments in British pluralism

29

(2)

Developments in contemporary pluralism

31

(5)

Conclusion

36

(1)

Acknowledgements

37

(1)

Further reading

37

(2)

2 Elitism

39

(20)

Mark Evans

Classical elitism

41

(2)

The classical elitists in perspective

43

(1)

Modern elitist perspectives — from radical elitism to the statists

44

(3)

The statists and the governing elite

47

(2)

The modern elitists in perspective

49

(1)

Contemporary elitist approaches

50

(7)

In summary

57

(1)

Further reading

58

(1)

3 (What's Marxist about) Marxist State Theory?

59

(20)

Colin Hay

Marxism and the state

60

(5)

A genealogy of the state in Marxist theory

65

(11)

Conclusions

76

(2)

Further reading

78

(1)

4 Public Choice

79

(19)

Andrew Hindmoor

Public choice

81

(2)

Public choice, market failure and state failure

83

(3)

Forms of state failure

86

(6)

The critique of public choice

92

(2)

Public choice without prejudice

94

(2)

Conclusion

96

(1)

Further reading

97

(1)

5 Institutionalism

98

(20)

Vivien Schmidt

From the 'old institutionalism' to the 'new institutionalism'

99

(3)

Rational choice institutionalism

102

(2)

Historical institutionalism

104

(3)

Sociological institutionalism

107

(2)

Discursive institutionalism

109

(5)

Conclusion

114

(3)

Further reading

117

(1)

6 Feminism

118

(17)

Johanna Kantola

Feminist contributors

119

(7)

Criticisms of feminist perspectives on the state

126

(5)

Current feminist debates

131

(3)

Conclusion

134

(1)

Further reading

134

(1)

7 Green Theory

135

(20)

Matthew Paterson, Peter Doran and John Barry

Green critiques of the state

136

(6)

Disempowerment and democracy

142

(1)

A green anarchism?

143

(3)

Greening the state?

146

(6)

Conclusions

152

(2)

Further reading

154

(1)

8 Poststructuralism

155

(17)

Alan Finlayson and James Martin

Locating poststructuralism

155

(6)

Laclau and Mouffe: the impossibility of the state

161

(2)

Destabilizing state sovereignty

163

(3)

Foucault, power and governmentality

166

(4)

Conclusions

170

(1)

Further reading

171

(1)

9 Globalization and the State

172

(18)

David Marsh, Nicola J. Smith and Nicola Hothi

The globalization debate

172

(6)

Unpacking the relationship between economic processes, discourse(s) and policy outcomes

178

(11)

Conclusion

189

(1)

Further reading

189

(1)

10 The Transformation of the State

190

(19)

Georg Sørensen

Introduction

190

(1)

Economic transformation: the effects of globalization

191

(3)

Political transformation: towards multi-level governance

194

(2)

The transformation of community

196

(3)

The transformation of sovereignty

199

(3)

The connection to theories: interpretations of state transformation

202

(2)

Changes in statehood

204

(3)

Conclusion: new debates in the wake of state transformation

207

(1)

Further reading

208

(1)

11 Governance, Government and the State

209

(14)

B. Guy Peters and Jon Pierre

Understanding the so-called shift from government to governance

210

(4)

The resilience of institutions

214

(6)

Governance, the state and political power

220

(1)

Conclusion

221

(1)

Further reading

222

(1)

12 Public/Private: The Boundaries of the State

223

(25)

Matthew Flinders

The topography of the state

225

(8)

The state: complexity, accountability and depoliticization

233

(11)

Shifting sands: the boundaries of the state

244

(3)

Further reading

247

(1)

Conclusion

248

(14)

Michael Lister and David Marsh

Changing theories of the state: has there been a convergence?

248

(6)

The role of the state: challenges and responses

254

(2)

What would a more sophisticated conceptualization of the state look like?

256

(4)

Future directions

260

(2)

Bibliography

262

(34)

Author Index

296

(6)

Subject Index

302

What is included with this book?

The New copy of this book will include any supplemental materials advertised. Please check the title of the book to determine if it should include any access cards, study guides, lab manuals, CDs, etc.

The Used, Rental and eBook copies of this book are not guaranteed to include any supplemental materials. Typically, only the book itself is included. This is true even if the title states it includes any access cards, study guides, lab manuals, CDs, etc.

FREE SHIPPING

Amazon no longer offers textbook rentals. We do!

The State Theories and Issues

Summary

Table of Contents

Supplemental Materials