William Fisher, Director of the International Development, Community and Environment Department, participated in Central Department of a three-day symposium held to address the issue of federalization as the Constituent Assembly of Nepal attempts to complete a new constitution. Fisher was one of few scholars from outside of Nepal to present research at the Symposium on Ethnicity and Federalization, in Kathmandu, Nepal, April 22-24.

This symposium, hosted by Tribhuvan University, examined “arguably the most contentious issue pending in the Constituent Assembly of Nepal: whether or not—or to what extent—ethnicity can provide the best possible platform for a federal structure for a new, in-the-making, state of Nepal.”

“The federalization on the basis of ethnicity is not a magic bullet; there still will be gaps, discrimination, and exclusion. Therefore, a holistic approach should be taken to address multi-culture, multi-religious identity of the country,” Fisher said in an interview with The Kathmandu Post (Nepal’s Largest Selling English Daily).

Fisher is professor of International Development and Social Change and George Perkins Marsh Institute research professor.