It is very rare that commercial publishers of fiction, short-stories, poetry, autobiographies, travelogues and other non-fiction books publish an anthology of such a dreary subject as peace and challenges of globalization in the developing countries.
However, it is a good omen that Sang-e-Meel Publications has taken an initiative in collaboration with S D P I, an independent, public interest think tank that provides advice to public - private voluntary organisations, students, farmers and every one who seek advice based on policy-oriented research and advocacy.
This anthology aims to familiarise the reader with various dimensions of sustainable development in the context of "peace and globalisation". The volume contains selected papers (after a thorough peer review and editing process) presented during the Eleventh Sustainable Development Conference 2008 of the SDPI. It addresses a diverse range of issues such as food security, climate changes, natural resources management, cost of conflict in South Asia, conflict resolution through trade, rewriting history, energy sharing etc.
These papers are not just the reflection of the authors' perspective but also carry in them the opinions of fellow panellists and conference delegates. The anthology reflects the mission of the SDPI, as a project of this organisation, to bring together students and researchers, policy makers and donors, participants local and foreign on one platform, to strive hard for strengthening and disseminating the independent research and voices of wisdom for sustained peace and development.
In the anthology, the SDPI has tried to define the "peace, sustainable development, and globalisation" as four 'Fs', crises faced by South Asia region in general and Pakistan in particular. The first 'F' is the fiscal crisis, the second 'F' is the fuel crises, the third 'F' is the food crisis, and the fourth 'F' is the frontiers crisis, a crisis of militancy, unrest and law and order situation.
The anthology has four sections, section I, building sustainable partnership, section II, peace building through narratives, section III, making peace work for rights and development and section IV, rethinking climate, disaster, management and sustainable development. Scholarly perspective and research papers of the Indian and Nepalese intellectuals and researchers presented in the conference have also been included in the anthology for the wider readership.
However, we feel that if SDPI wishes to make the anthology accessible to wider section of the academia, researchers, economists, sociologists, historians, planners, teachers, students and social workers and so on, by publishing it through commercial publishers, then fixation of Rs 1200 as price of the book would not serve the purpose.
In these hard times and sliding purchasing power of the lower income groups, not many people are likely to spend their hard earned and much needed money to purchase this anthology at such price. We shall advise the publishers to reduce price of the book to bring it within reach of the teachers, scholars, researchers and students if they do not want the anthology to be consigned to the dusty book shelves of a few scholars and researchers.

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Book          :     Peace And Sustainable Development In South
                  Asia Issues And  Challenges Of Globalisation
Publisher   :     Sang-E-Meel Publications 25-Lower Mall,
                  Lahore, and Sustainable Development Policy
                  Institute, 20 Hill Road , F-6/3  Islamabad
Pages       :     399
Price       :     Rs 1200/-
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