Nepal’s transformation shaped by local voices
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Anthropologist Sara Shneiderman has spent over three decades researching communities across Nepal and the Himalayas, observing how political changes and migration impact people’s lives.
Shneiderman began her work in 1994, noting a vastly different political landscape than exists today, and has consistently returned to Nepal to learn from communities in places like Dolakha and Mustang.
She found that the restructuring of local government in 2017 empowered people from historically marginalized groups, like the Thangmi community, to participate in public life and demand services from the state. Shneiderman emphasizes the importance of moving beyond labeling disasters as simply “natural,” arguing that vulnerabilities stem from inequalities and decisions made by governments and private companies.
She also notes that while Nepal’s federal system offers opportunities for inclusion, many of the hopes for Indigenous rights and self-determination remain unfulfilled, as the focus shifts towards infrastructure and tourism. Migration, a long-standing part of Nepali life, has changed in recent years. People now migrate for longer periods, impacting family ties and agricultural practices in Himalayan villages.
Shneiderman stresses the need to understand migration not just as an economic strategy, but also in terms of its social and cultural consequences, and believes policymakers must prioritize listening to local communities to understand their needs and perspectives.
