State and Statehood in the Global South: Theoretical Approaches and Empirical Studies

This book explores critical approaches to the state and state theory in the Global South, examining the nature, functions, and development dynamics of the state in the periphery, its constituting interests, and struggles. It draws on various theoretical perspectives, including dependency and world-systems theory, regulation school, and critical realism, and discusses their theoretical, ontological, and epistemological presuppositions. The book is divided into three parts, the first providing an overview of global capitalist developments, the second introducing different state theory schools, and the third presenting empirical studies.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 237 pages
Publication date: 20 April 2023
Publisher: Springer Nature Switzerland AG

This comprehensive book delves into critical approaches to the state and state theory in the Global South, particularly in the context of the reemergence of the post-colonial and peripheral state as a significant institution and actor in the 21st-century capitalist world-system. It explores the nature, functions, and development dynamics of the state in the periphery, as well as its constituting interests and struggles. Drawing upon a range of theoretical frameworks, including dependency and world-systems theory, regulation school, and the German Ableitungsdebatte, strategraphy, and critical realism, the book offers a comprehensive analysis of the evolution of different theoretical perspectives on the state. It delves into their theoretical, ontological, and epistemological presuppositions, and illustrates their methodological, practical, and ethical implications.

The book is structured into three parts. The first part provides an overview of recent global capitalist developments and challenges for state theory, laying the theoretical, ontological, and hermeneutic foundation for studies of the state and statehood in the Global South. In the second part, readers are introduced to various schools of state theory, encompassing critical theory and materialism, as well as approaches derived from postcolonial, anthropological, and feminist thought. The third part presents a series of empirical studies, showcasing concrete methodological and practical experiences of conducting critical state theory.

By examining the state in the periphery through a critical lens, this book offers valuable insights into the complex dynamics and contradictions of power, governance, and social change in the Global South. It contributes to the ongoing debate about the role of the state in shaping societies.

Weight: 391g
Dimension: 235 x 155 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9783030940027
Edition number: 1st ed. 2022