Introduction; Part I. States and Citizens: Setting the Scene: 1. States and the freedom of citizens Quentin Skinner; 2. The concept of the state: the sovereignty of a fiction David Runciman; 3. Citizens and the state: retrospect and prospect Gianfranco Poggi; Part II. The Medieval Background: 4. Freedom, law and the Medieval state Magnus Ryan; 5. States, cities and citizens in the later Middle Ages Almut Høfert; Part III. Early-modern Developments: 6. The state and its rivals in early-modern Europe Martin van Gelderen; 7. The development of the idea of citizens' rights Annabel Brett; Part IV. Citizens, States and Modernity: 8. Enlightenment's differences, today's identities Judith Vega; 9. Citizen and state under the French Revolution Lucian Jaume; 10. A state of contradictions: political power in modern India Sudipta Kaviraj; Part V. After the Modern State: 11. The state and its critics: is there a post-modern challenge? Bo Stråth; 12. Citizenship and equality of the sexes: the French model in question Michele Riot Sarcey; 13. States, citizens and the environment Andy Dobson.