States and Citizens
History, Theory, Prospects

States and Citizens, first published in 2003, offers a survey of perceptions of the state and its prospects in the contemporary world.

Quentin Skinner (Edited by), Bo Stråth (Edited by)

9780521831567, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 16 October 2003

244 pages
22.9 x 15.2 x 1.4 cm, 0.5 kg

'… provides a remarkably unified perspective on the state …'. Contemporary Political Theory

The imminent demise of the nation-state in the face of global capitalism and supra-national agencies like the United Nations has often been predicted, yet in practice the death of the state seems unimaginable: indeed terrorist activity and corporate collapse have made states, if anything, more assertive in recent years, and the condition of 'statelessness' is regarded as pitiable and grave in the extreme. This volume, first published in 2003, offers a coherent survey of perceptions of the state, its history, its theoretical underpinnings, and its prospects in the contemporary world. The coverage of the Western European experience is thorough and wide-ranging, with the greatest post-colonial democratic state, India, as a comparative example. The provocative and accessible contributions of a very distinguished and genuinely pan-European team of contributors ensure that States and Citizens provides a unique and valuable resource, of interest to students and teachers of the history of ideas, political theory and European studies.

Introduction
Part I. States and Citizens: Setting the Scene: 1. States and the freedom of citizens Quentin Skinner
2. The concept of the state: the sovereignty of a fiction David Runciman
3. Citizens and the state: retrospect and prospect Gianfranco Poggi
Part II. The Medieval Background: 4. Freedom, law and the Medieval state Magnus Ryan
5. States, cities and citizens in the later Middle Ages Almut Høfert
Part III. Early-modern Developments: 6. The state and its rivals in early-modern Europe Martin van Gelderen
7. The development of the idea of citizens' rights Annabel Brett
Part IV. Citizens, States and Modernity: 8. Enlightenment's differences, today's identities Judith Vega
9. Citizen and state under the French Revolution Lucian Jaume
10. A state of contradictions: political power in modern India Sudipta Kaviraj
Part V. After the Modern State: 11. The state and its critics: is there a post-modern challenge? Bo Stråth
12. Citizenship and equality of the sexes: the French model in question Michele Riot Sarcey
13. States, citizens and the environment Andy Dobson.

Subject Areas: Political science & theory [JPA], History of ideas [JFCX], Social & political philosophy [HPS], European history [HBJD]