Defining A Region

Defining a region, particularly South Asia, is a difficult academic exercise. South Asia shares a common geographical space, though given that regional trade constitutes just about 5 per cent of the total trade flows the intensity of interaction can be questioned. Undertaking a regional analysis of South Asia, with specific country perspectives. Democracy, Sustainable Development and Peace: New Perspectives  on South Asia is an effort to bring together the region of South Asia into the frames of a shared imagination. An imagination, which as the authors point out at the outset, ‘will involve nurturing of rediscovery of consciousness of unity in diversity through the rediscovery of South Asia’s civilizational wellspring’. The integrating pillars of this civilizational well-spring as the authors put it are peace, sustainable development and democracy. Thus, with this as thethematic base, this edited book attempts to synergize the different imaginations (ecological, democratic, economic) of South Asia.