This volume collects proceedings from "The Changing Role of the State: Visions and Experiences," organized by the Economic Research Forum in Cairo, Egypt in April 2005. It examines how powerful forces of globalization, liberalization, and conflict are shaping states, arguing for a new paradigm in analyzing the role of the state. The authors offer a critical but overall positive view of the state’s role and its importance for improving citizens' lives, while remaining cautious about the performance and functioning of the state.