Nepal—Nation-state in the Wilderness takes a critical look at three important aspects of modern Nepal: viability of the Nepali State, prospects and challenges of its liberal democracy, and strategies for managing the emerging geopolitical trends.

The author analyzes the transformation of Maoists into a systemic party within the liberal-democratic set-up and the mutual distrust that developed afterwards. The book further explores the state of Nepal's physical location between China and India and Nepal's own incapacity to manage the geopolitical pulls and pressures arising out of its unique position.

The question, "Is democracy viable in Nepal?" provides a thematic outline to the book. Lok Raj Baral argues that though democratic values have triumphed in the recent past, democracy itself remains blurred in the absence of institutionalization. The book is an insight into the tenets of liberal democracy, its applicability to the scenario in Nepal, and the historical developments that determine how democracy takes shape.