The events that took place in Nepal in the 1950s are part of a tectonic transition that had been set in motion long before, and which continued to reverberate long after the actual decade. Foreshadowed in the rise of anti-colonial movements and new forms of capitalism, the post-World War II era, from the 1940s to 1960s, saw the restructuring of global inter-state relations and new forms of global capitalism.

The ten chapters in Nepal in the Long 1950s aim to situate the events of that turbulent decade within larger frames both in terms of time—the complex historical processes that led to the transitions of the 1950s and continued thereafter—and space—the complex regional and global contexts in which events in Nepal took place. Together they offer new perspectives on mid-twentieth century Nepal and broaden the scope of historical study into more social and cultural dimensions.

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Pratyoush Onta and Lokranjan Parajuli are researchers based at Martin Chautari, Kathmandu, Nepal. Mark Liechty is Professor of Anthropology and History at the University of Illinois at Chicago, USA.