Despite the extensive debate about the impact of globalization, democratization and new forms of governance, there have been surprisingly few attempts to provide an integrated account of the state in the contemporary world. Roger King and Gavin Kendall’s new text is designed to fill the gap and provide an accessible but informed introduction for today’s students. It covers both the rise of the state and its increasing reach and interventionism in the 20th century and argues that its power and influence are now in decline in the face of globalization and new forms of governance in the 21st century.