The best method to use this website depends upon your goals. If you are a person with a general interest in Cambodia, or perhaps someone planning to visit Cambodia as a tourist, my suggestion is that you just read the two main essays, clicking over to the keywords, biographies or background essays as they seem helpful to you.

This course is not designed for specialists in Khmer studies. The information provided is general and includes material drawn from my own interests, and stories from my own experiences. The section of the website that might be useful to specialists would be the bibliography, particularly references to reports by Non-governmental organizations and theses that have limited circulation.

You may wish to use the syllabus that follows as the basis for designing a course on Cambodia, or for a section of a course on Southeast Asia. Or you may wish to just assign certain sections as readings. When you use materials, please cite the website as you would any published source.

The following syllabus is for students who are taking this class on their own. This is not designed to be an interactive class, though you are welcome to send comments to SEASITE. I have structured the class as if it were for one semester. If I were teaching this class in a classroom, I would have required readings and recommended readings, so I have included that format here. I would also have two examinations and assign a research paper. In the future I plan to add questions for two exams, a midterm and a final. For the general reader the idea is to take as little or as much of the material as you would like; for the student the goal is to systematically work through all of the material on the site, as well as the assigned readings and related links. If you use materials from this course in your writings, please cite this website, just as you would a published source.

1. Begin reading Becker (first three chapters):

Becker, Elizabeth

1986 When the War Was Over: Cambodia's Revolution and the Voices of its People. New York: Simon and Schuster. (there is a new 1998 edition of this book that is still in print)

2. Read Essay I - Cambodia since April 1975

Introduction

Democratic Kampuchea (1975-1979)

The People’s Republic of Kampuchea (1979-1989)

The State of Cambodia (1989-1993)

The United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia (1992-93)

The Royal Government of Cambodia (1993-present)

1. Continue reading Becker (chapter 5-8)

Read the background essay (and the readings assigned):

Understanding Cambodia: Social Hierarchy and Patron-Client Relationships

Readings:

1. Finish reading Becker (chapters 9-12 and epilog)

2. Read the background essay (and the readings assigned):

Democratic Kampuchea: Hierarchy/Egalitarianism and Pol Pot

Readings:

1. Read the background essay (and the readings assigned, including Ledgerwood 1994)

The UN Sponsored Elections of 1993: Were they ‘free and fair’?

2. Recommended reading, Peou (Chapters 4-6) :

Peou, Sorpong

Intervention and Change in Cambodia: Towards Democracy? New York: St. Martin’s Press

1. Read the background essay (and the assigned readings):

The July 5-6, 1997 "events": When is a coup not a coup?

2. Recommended reading, continue reading Peou (chapters 7-9).

3. Recommended reading (linked on this site):

United Nations Centre for Human Rights

Memorandum to the Royal Government of Cambodia: Evidence of Summary Executions, Torture, and Missing Persons Since 2-7 July. August 21.

Readings:

Reread Essay I, biographies, and keywords. Review for the exam.

Exam

Biographies

Bibliography

Keywords

Links to Other Useful Sites

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