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The essays are on governance, development and the emergence of conflict by taking in the situation in South Asian countries. They examine how different forms of governance have emerged in South Asia after colonialism and the challenges the region faces. Highlighting the degree of institutionalisation of democracy, they show the link between shortcomings in governmental arrangements and the prevalence of conflict at the national and sub-national levels. They discuss how external interventions and policy reforms in the name of development have led to different outcomes in the South Asia countries, particularly India, Sri Lace and Nepal. They take up issues relating to participation and empowerment in the development discourse, empowering excluded groups in the context of local democracy and social change, the aid strategies of Nepal’s donors that are linked to economic issues, and aspects linked to conflict mitigation, political expediency, ideologies, commercial self-interests and international agendas.