Dr. Chand Publishes His First Book

Posted: October 3, 2023 by Morgan Adams

[NOTE: Portions of this article come from a UNG News article on June 15, 2023]

Dr. Bibek Chand, assistant professor of political science and international affairs on our Gainesville campus recently had his first book as a solo author, Reframing the Buffer State in Contemporary International Relations: Nepal's Relations with India and China, published by Routledge.

Dr. Chand, who earned his Ph.D. in International Relations from Florida International University in 2018, edited his dissertation to create the book.

According to Dr. Chand, extensive research exists about the power dynamics of larger countries, but scant attention is paid to smaller countries. Buffer states are located between larger countries that are rivals. Nepal's role as a buffer state has only been magnified since India passed China as the world's most populous nation in April and the two countries have border disputes. Being from Nepal, Bibek took a particular interest in this topic and was interested in adding to the limited literature on small states.

His book explores two main concepts: buffer states have agency on how to navigate relationships with nearby nations, and they are dynamic spaces as their powerful neighbors seek to woo the buffer states' favor. As Bibek points out in his book, "The buffer state is not just a spectator but an active participant that consistently assesses and reassesses its geopolitical position in between much larger competing powers."

Congratulations to Dr. Chand for joining the "club" of PSIA published book authors!