What constitutes a failed state? And what are the early warning signs of a governance failure? Drawing on examples from Latin America, Africa, the Middle East and Asia, Ezrow and Frantz skillfully describe how declines in state power are closely associated with success of insurgent groups, warlords and other non-state forms of governance.

Lisa Blaydes, Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science, Stanford University, US

This is one of the most important books on the failed state, which has had its share of criticisms (some justified, some not). By focusing on specific state institutions (i.e., political, administrative, judicial and security institutions), and by demonstrating how these institutions affect political stability and economic performance, the authors help to transform the failed state from a generalized abstraction to a measurable construct. This is an immense contribution to an evolving field of study.

Jean-Germain Gros, Professor of Political Science and Public Policy Administration, University of Missouri-St. Louis, US