The State in Public Administration

Abstract

What is “the state,” and what is its relevance, if any, to public administration? The concept of the state goes back for centuries but has become an increasingly more widely discussed topic within the last 30 years. This review of five important works on the subject will present the major definitions, highlight the points of debate among scholars, and argue that there are at least four ways in which the concept of “the state” can advance the field of public administration