While scholarship on the state emanates from multiple disciplines including (but not limited to) political science, sociology, history, and anthropology, their respective literatures are often isolated from each other. Even within the discipline of political science there exist methodological, epistemological, ontological—even cultural—barriers that inhibit the exchange of ideas about this quintessential modern political institution. Our proposed organization, “Students of the State,” is intended to provide an inter- and intra-disciplinary forum for the discussion of the origins, nature, development and future of the state. To that end, we intend to hold regularly meeting study groups, talks and networking events to share both new and classic research on the state and to facilitate inter-disciplinary border crossing.