Published in association with Indo-Dutch Programme on Alternatives in Development The essays in this collection discuss the sources and nature of water scarcity and conflicts in specific cases under diverse situations in India, Europe and the USA, the manner in which they have been handled, the mechanisms used and their effectiveness. The contributors, all experts from different disciplines and backgrounds, are knowledgeable and experienced in water and water management. Their papers were presented and discussed at a conference held under the joint auspices of the ICSSR and IDPAD. The participants included, besides the contributors, a wider group of engineers, economists, social scientists, environmentalists, lawyers and senior administrators. Many of them happened to combine social activism in water issues with their professional work. Though the publication comes six years after the seminar, events in the intervening period do not make a significant difference to the substantial issues raised or conclusions reached. Scarcity and conflict over water, being an important issue in many parts of the world, provided a well-defined, concrete theme for a meaningful transdisciplinary dialogue. Exchange of experiences and views from different perspectives and in diverse situations helped participants see the issues in a broader perspective. The editors' introduction highlights the nature of issues involved, commonalities and differences across diverse situations, and different approaches to coping with scarcity and resolving conflicts. It also underscores the importance of coherent, multi-pronged action on several interrelated fronts (technological, legal, institutional and economic). A number of concrete and valuable practical suggestions for action and areas in which our knowledge needs strengthening through research emerges from the essays in this volume.