Nepal, Jan. 17 -- The clash of dreams in politics has begun to assume more meaning to me now than it ever did before. The reasons are several, some of which are discussed in this short essay. Here it would be appropriate to introduce the concept of a dream not least in the context of its semantics in relation to the idea of politics and the nation. Dream connotes both figural and quotidian meanings. Some countries use the term 'dream' more productively than others. I can cite the example of 'American dream' here. But I have begun to feel today that the American dream as epitomised in the character of the famous American novel The Great Gatsby was perhaps the genesis of the academic programme that we also introduced at university.

The som...