Introduction: the anticipatory state: making policy-relevant knowledge about the future

Anticipatory knowledge is a rich and multifaceted object of investigation by virtue of the epistemic difficulties associated with ensuring its reliability, the blend of descriptive and performative dimensions contained within it, and its complex and often ambiguous temporality. This paper draws attention to the particular importance of anticipatory knowledge within the context of the state, where actors employ this kind of knowledge for, among other things, mobilizing support for policy initiatives and grounding decision-making. We argue that the way states produce and use anticipatory knowledge matters, and deserves sustained analytical attention.