The essays in this book trace the development of Joel Migdal's 'state-in-society' approach.

Part I. Introduction: 1. The state-in-society approach: a new definition of the state and transcending the narrowly constructed world of Rigor; Part II. Rethinking Social and Political Change: 2. A model of state-society relations; 3. Strong states, weak states: power and accommodation; Part III. A Process-Oriented Approach - Constituting States and Societies: 4. The state in society: an approach to struggles for domination; 5. Why do so many states stay intact; Part IV. Linking Micro- and Macro-Level Change: 6. Individual change in the midst of social and political change; Part V. Studying the State: 7. Studying the politics of development and change: the state of the art; 8. Studying the state.