Neoliberalism, Rights, and the Vernacularisation of Social Policy in Nepal

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dc.contributor.advisorGray, John
dc.contributor.advisorSkuse, Andrew
dc.contributor.authorAdhikari, Alexia Jane
dc.contributor.schoolSchool of Social Sciences : Anthropology and Development Studiesen
dc.date.issued2021
dc.description.abstractThis thesis examines the political and social dynamics surrounding neoliberal social policy reform in Nepal since 1990. The analysis is based on four case studies from three social sector areas of education, health, and water supply. By employing a cross-sectoral approach, it seeks to identify the political and social conditions under which social policy reform has occurred in Nepal and in doing so, contribute to wider discussions about the political and social pre-conditions for social policy reform in ‘fragile’ or post-conflict states more generally. This concern is in turn linked to questions about the impact of particular political and social constellations on the realisation of citizens’ social rights, specifically rights of access to quality public services in such countries. Nepal constitutes a useful case for exploring these issues because (i) it has experienced significant transition from a state-led approach to a neoliberal-led approach to economic and social development, (ii) it has experienced a ten-year internal conflict (1996-2006) and devastating earthquakes (2015), both of which have taken a substantial toll on the social sectors, placing it firmly in the fragile or post-conflict state grouping; and (iii) social policy reform processes have been characterised by significant difference across sectors in terms of the degree and direction of neoliberal policies and the politics at work. My research demonstrates an unresolved tension within Nepal between state-led and neoliberal reform development approaches. The manifestation of this is when reforms move toward centralisation and greater state influence then private sector actors are more resistant, and when reforms move toward more neoliberal approaches and with less state input then public sector actors are more resistant. The focus of my thesis is to explain this difference using Norman Long’s (2001) actor-oriented interface approach, with a special focus on processes of vernacularisation of global development discourses, including the Sustainable Development Goals and neoliberalism as the dominant global economic framework. This conceptual framework highlights how actors pursue their interests within a given context and what implications this has for quality and access of public services. I argue that a swing too far in either direction – state-led or neoliberal-led – is detrimental to the realisation of such rights.en
dc.description.dissertationThesis (Ph.D.) -- University of Adelaide, School of Social Sciences, 2021en
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/2440/134279
dc.language.isoenen
dc.provenanceThis electronic version is made publicly available by the University of Adelaide in accordance with its open access policy for student theses. Copyright in this thesis remains with the author. This thesis may incorporate third party material which has been used by the author pursuant to Fair Dealing exceptions. If you are the owner of any included third party copyright material you wish to be removed from this electronic version, please complete the take down form located at: http://www.adelaide.edu.au/legalsen
dc.subjectsocial policyen
dc.subjectNepalen
dc.subjectvernacularisationen
dc.subjectneoliberalismen
dc.subjectfragile statesen
dc.subjecteducation policyen
dc.subjectwater policyen
dc.subjectmedical educationen
dc.titleNeoliberalism, Rights, and the Vernacularisation of Social Policy in Nepalen
dc.typeThesisen

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