'Studies in political science are often written as if citizens interact with the state only during elections. Yet, as Gabrielle Kruks-Wisner shows in her remarkable book, many of the most important interactions that people in rural Rajasthan have with state actors - about access to water, electricity, healthcare, food, shelter, and other forms of social protection - are almost daily activities. This makes it crucial to understand the conditions under which citizens do (or don't) make claims for these services. Claiming the State provides compelling answers, and in so doing, provides new and important insights into how citizens in poor countries interact with their governments.' Daniel N. Posner, James Coleman Professor of International Development, University of California, Los Angeles