Complex sentence: Political scientists, sociologists, and anthropologists began studying the state formation processes in Europe and elsewhere since the 1600s beginning significantly with Max Weber, but state formation became a primary interest in the 1970s.
Split into simpler sentences: Political scientists, sociologists, and anthropologists began studying the state formation processes in Europe and elsewhere in the 1600s--beginning significantly with Max Weber. However, state formation became a primary interest in the 1970s.