casting string as type(for passing to method calling for type)?

Questions & Answers
1 
public string LocalStateComponentNameToActivate;
Managers.Game.SetState(typeof(LocalSceneStateActivator));

using the above 2 lines, which are taken from a larger script in C#, I'm attempting to pass to one of my GameManager scripts, the value of the string(that I'm entering in the editor, or through code) to that method(SetState), that method however calls for a type, or it throws errors everytime.

I've tried all the C# tricks I know of(changeType, etc), but I cant force the method(SetState) to take the string(WHICH IS THE LITERAL NAME OF THE TYPE I WANT TO PASS) and pass it as a type, no matter what means of casting/conversion I try.

I would greatly appreciate it if anyone can offer any insight on how to take a public string that I can edit/enter in the editor(that is the literal name of an existing Type I want to pass that already exists publicly), and pass that string to a method which calls for a type.

Thanks for any assistance.

2

GetType() ? http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/w3f99sx1.aspx