The Regional Paradox : Essays in Nepali and South Asian Affairs

Contents: Introduction. I. Parties, Democracy & Governance: 1. Second constitutional experiment with Democracy. 2. Elites and Governance. 3. Problems of Democratizing Democracy. 4. Democracy and Gandhi. 5. Emerging trends in party politics. II. Bilateral Relations and Regional Affairs: 6. Non-Military threats and Governance. 7. Japan-South Asia relations: view from Kathmandu. 8. Bhutan : End of Sangri-la image. 9. India and its neighbours: perceptions and realities. 10. India and Nepal: cooperative and comprehensive relations in the next Millenium. 11. Constraints on South Asian regional cooperation. 12. India and South Asian regional security. 13. Nepal & the problem of refugees. 14. Bhutan and Nepal : Quest for new confidence building measures. 15. SAARC: problem of becoming a community.

"The present volume, a collection of essays, encompasses a variety of areas such as democratic exercises in Nepal in comparative perspective, problems of governance, emerging non-military threats in South Asia and problems of South Asia towards forming a regional community. Many articles show conflict between the authoritarian, feudalistic, indigenous political culture of Nepal and the universal culture of liberal Democracy and good governance. Finding political parties and leadership role as the key variables for creating such a political mess, the author urges the Nepalese politicians to be more people friendly by undertaking strong policy measures for improving the situation.

"Faced by contradictory trends and situations, the South Asian states are also struggling hard to give a fair to trial to established democratic systems despite a set back to Democracy in Pakistan. Issues dominating bilateral relations along with suitable strategies for their resolution have figured prominently in the book. South Asian Regional Cooperation and its overarching problems are discussed thoroughly in order to provide greater objectivity to general readers." (jacket)

[Lok Raj Baral is Professor of Political Science, Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu, Nepal.]