This book consists of various topics such as tragedy of consensus (crisis in local democracy and options for improved local governance), representation of the maoist insurgency in Yug Pathak's novek Urgenko Ghoda, Education as a poisoned chalice, stability in transition and many more. The papers contained in this volume were presented at the Annual Kathmandu Conference on Nepal and the Himalaya, 18 to 21 Jule, 2012 and was organized by the Social Science Baha, the Association for Nepal and Himalayan Studies and the Britain-Nepal Academic Council.