The book examines ethnographic and historical settings of democracy under formation, at work, being contested, and even being undermined in the independent Himalayan nations and the Indian Himalayan states. It shows how democratisation thematically stitches them into a distinctive regional political mosaic, empowering the traditionally marginali

List of Tables. List of Plates and Map. Preface. Introduction: Democracy in the Himalayan Region Vibha Arora and N. Jayaram Part I. Identity Politics and Democratic Transition 1. The Adivasi/Janajati Movement in Nepal: Myths and Realities of Indigeneity Gerard Toffin 2. The Power of Script: Ph¿lgunanda's Role in the Formation of Kiranti Ethnicity Martin Gaenszle 3. Refiguring Rights, Redefining Culture: Hill Council in Kargil, Jammu and Kashmir Mona Bhan Part II. Development of Democratic Routes 4. The Paradox of Democracy in the Northeast and the Eastern Himalayas Vibha Arora 5. Deep Democracy or Ethnocentrism? Locating Voice in the Protests against Development in Northeastern India Duncan McDuie-Ra 6. Democracy through the Gun? Challenges of Post-conflict Reconstruction in Conflict-torn Assam Nel Vandekerckhove 7. Democratic Transition in Jammu and Kashmir: Lessons from Nature Conservation Interventions Saloni Gupta 8. Tibetan Democracy-in-Exile: The 'Uniqueness' and Limitations of Democratic Procedures in a Territory-less Polity Fiona McConnell 9. The Ebb and Flow of Nepalese Democracy Renske Doorenspleet and Bal Gopal Shrestha 10. The Changing Discourse of Social Justice in Nepal Poshendra Satyal Pravat. About the Editors. Notes on Contributors. Index