Over the last thirty years or so, borders and the borderlands which surround them have attracted interest from a growing number of disciplines. Geographers, lawyers, historians, political scientists, sociologists, economists, anthropologists, philosophers have all been drawn to these fascinating entities, and border studies have become truly interdisciplinary. The development of concepts such as 'bordering' and "liminal spaces' has greatly enriched our understanding of what borders mean and how they function.
Borders are more than the lines of no thickness which separate states, but those lines of international boundaries remain vital to our understanding of international relations and geopolitics. Boundaries remain central to the notion of the political state even when governments work to minimise their impact on the movement of people, goods and ideas. In many countries boundaries are also important symbols of national identity, and their significance in national as well as international politics should never be underestimated.
International boundaries may be artificial constructs but they are not abstract. They run through real physical and human landscapes, and they affect people's lives in many ways at a variety of scales. Boundaries are fundamentally geographical in nature, and is hardly surprising that geographers, cartographers and surveyors have long been at the forefront of boundary scholarship. The term 'boundary-making' was coined by a military surveyor, Sir Thomas Holdich, and the works of geographers such as Stephen Jones, Whittemore Boggs, Gerald Blake and Victor Prescott are still essential reading today for anyone seeking to understand how boundaries are defined and managed.
Buddhi Shrestha is another geographer who has made a significant contribution to international boundary studies. As a former Director General of the Survey Department of Nepal and leader of his country's boundary committees with both its neighbours, nobody anywhere knows more about the boundaries of Nepal. It is a gift to boundary scholars everywhere that Buddhi has taken time to share his knowledge and expertise on Nepal's boundaries and boundary-making in general through this book.
Nepal is sandwiched between the world's two most populous countries, both of which have become major geopolitical powers. The status of Tibet remains contested. And Nepal's boundary with China/Tibet is the world's highest. In such a context, The International Boundaries of Nepal was never likely to be dull! But Buddhi's unique knowledge, passion for his subject and inimitable style combine to make for a highly entertaining, informative and rewarding survey. Even casual readers will find much to enjoy, but for boundary specialists it is a treasure trove that will surely become the key reference work on Nepal's boundaries.
The border is a sensitive issue for any nation. T It is related to the national integrity and sovereignty of a country. If a small portion of the territory is violated, the identity of the country gets affected. To protect the national integrity of a nation, its people must be furnished with ample knowledge and understanding of their nation's boundaries. The current book is related more or less on this subject matter.
This book was published, at first last year from Latvia, Europe. The publisher fixed the price of this book at 98.6 Euro. This was too expensive for the readers of South Asian countries. Thus, I intended to publish it from a South Asian nation. I sent an email to the European publisher mentioning a possibility of the book's publication from India or Nepal. The next day, I received a reply from Ms. Ana-Maria Arnaut, Manager and Editor of European Universities Editions, Lambert Academic Publishing, Latvia, stating, 'Yes, you are free to publish it with them, it's not a problem.'
Then, I contacted to Nirala Publications, New Delhi, leading publisher on Nepal and Himalayas, asking if they were interested in publish the book. Their answer was positive. I was asked to get in touch with Nirala Series Nepal Editor, Himalayan poet Yuyutsu RD Sharma based in Kathmandu. This is how the story of the book's current avatar began. In the meantime, I updated some current issues and also deleted unnecessary details and paragraphs.
I would like to thank Nirala Publications for publishing this book. Similarly, I am obliged to Poet Sharma for reading the book with so much interest and for offering wonderful editorial suggestions and changes. I appreciate his co-operation so much.
Hindu (886)
Agriculture (93)
Ancient (1022)
Archaeology (614)
Architecture (534)
Art & Culture (862)
Biography (598)
Buddhist (545)
Cookery (158)
Emperor & Queen (496)
Islam (235)
Jainism (275)
Literary (876)
Mahatma Gandhi (360)
Send as free online greeting card
Email a Friend
Manage Wishlist