Introduction

The chapter includes a discussion about the play by Henrik Ibsen from 1879, A Doll's House, how it still proves to be relevant today to gender relations not only in Denmark but in Nepal as well. The introduction explains how Ibsen's play inspired two theater directors from Denmark and Nepal, respectively to use it as point of departure for the creation of a trans-civilizational and intercultural dialogue. The intention of this chapter is to introduce the background of the collection of chapters, give broader perspectives about globalization and social change linked with debates about changing values and cultures in development and social policy and then enters the specific context and development trajectory in Nepal in recent years.