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Concept of state formation and contemporary policy issues in Sri Lanka – By Sunil Bastian The starting point of the analysis in this short article is to question the conventional approach to studying a state. The conventional approach treats the state as a concrete, self-contained entity that has attained a final status. Much of the effort to promote goals such as economic growth, social development and democracy is based on a notion that states have been formed, and now the task is to focus on promoting these objectives. In contrast, this article looks at states as products of historical processes, like any other social phenomena. Therefore, state formation is the more relevant term to use in studying a state. They are formed under certain specific historical conditions. They continuously undergo changes, and under certain circumstances can even totally disappear. A cursory glance at the history of the world will show ...