Despite the formal abolishment of the discriminative caste system in Nepal in 1963, caste still
influences social, economic, and political sectors of Hindu society. Indicators and existing
research suggest that caste-based discrimination remains one of the major sources of unrest in a
Hindu majority nation such as Nepal. Questions remain, however, about the media‘s role in
caste-based identity conflict. This dissertation seeks to answer the question: How do various
print media outlets (i.e., public vs. private) depict Pahadi identity-based conflicts in
contemporary Nepal? In this study, I employed focus group discussions and semi-structured
interviews with Nepalese opinion leaders. Further, I conducted content analyses of national
newspapers in order to examine caste identity conflict and media coverage in contemporary
Nepal, specifically among the Pahadi community. Results indicate that private print media
correlates with reported events-based data on caste-based identity conflict to a higher degree than
public print media. Opinion leaders‘ views were partly influenced by print media, which helped
shape and reshape their opinions on caste identity conflicts in complex ways. Ultimately, this
study found that both the private and public media outlets seem to help manage caste-based
identity conflicts more than aggravate them, although variability between media outlets is
expected. The media can play a role as a ―voice of reason‖ or as a facilitator when identity-based
conflict obstructs the process of reconciliation and cultural harmony; whereas its ability to
influence more embedded cultural practices such as the non-acceptance of inter-caste marriages
seems to be less successful in the Nepalese context. This study suggests that the media can play a
significant role in creating social harmony by helping manage identity conflict.