Cambodia: Dilemmas in Global Affairs

Contemporary Cambodia is haunted by its tragic past. The period between 1970 to 1979 saw untold brutality inflicted upon its population. The scars from these traumas persist today. But that is not the entirety of its story. Even as the country struggles to reconcile itself with the past, Cambodia is host to a young, vibrant population, looking for opportunities to provide prosperity and security for its people, and a ruling regime seeking stability and longevity. To achieve anything resembling these goals, Cambodia and Cambodians must confront a panoply of options. This course provides a variety of lenses through which we might better appreciate the dilemmas facing the country and people of Cambodia. While doing so, we will address the themes of power, identity, history, prosperity, security, autonomy, inequality, and contestation.