Nepal, Sept. 17 -- In 1923, Nepal and Britain signed a treaty that formally reaffirmed Britain's recognition of Nepal as an independent and sovereign state and marked a new phase in the two countries' diplomatic relationship. More than a century later, the treaty continues to offer a window into Nepal's place in a changing world and the ways a small state navigated its relationship with a global power.

'State and Craft: Readings on the 1923 Nepal-Britain Friendship Treaty', edited by Tika Prasad Dhakal, brings together essays that examine the treaty, the diplomacy behind it, and its place in Nepal's modern history.

Dhakal has a PhD in political science. His work focuses on theoretical frameworks, international relations, Nepal's foreign...