the anthropology of the state introduces some of the most exciting approaches to the study of the state in a transnational world. this volume is unique in that it stresses the interplay between theory, ethnography, history, and critique. it brings together classic and contemporary theoretical examinations of the state along with cutting-edge ethnographic analyses of specific state practices, institutions, and ideas in diverse geographical locations and historical periods. the articles in this volume are presented for students and scholars in a range of disciplines such as anthropology, sociology, political economy, and postcolonial studies.