Fragile peace, violent extremism, and feminist solutions in Nepal

This chapter explores how the feminist conceptualization of oppressions and violence can help us better comprehend and analyse fragile peace and think about better solutions to the possibility of violent extremism in Nepal. After the peaceful settlement of the Maoist insurgency in Nepal (1996–2006), the Nepalese government has claimed the peace process as completed and Nepal ushering towards growth and prosperity. This chapter shows that the premature proclamation of ‘post-war’ peace is problematic. Many causes of the Maoist insurgency in Nepal have not been completely addressed. The ‘post-war’ peace in Nepal remains fragile as beset by many continuing challenges like poverty and inequalities, unequal distribution of power and resources, and natural hazard-related disasters while the democratic restructuring of the state remains an unfinished project. Similarly, the voices of the marginalized population under multiple oppressions are unheard and their needs remain unaddressed. Moreover, emerging crises like climate change and natural hazard-elated disasters have added further vulnerabilities. Thus, the chapter argues that the combination of all these factors can create a perfect incubating environment for the recurrence of violent extremism. Feminist theorizations of oppression and violence in the concepts of ‘matrices of domination’ and ‘continua of violence’ can better understand and analyse multiple and intersecting forms of oppression and violence in Nepal.