Everyday Processes of Peace-Making in Cambodia

• In Event: Collective Behavior and Social Movements Section Roundtables
  In Refereed Roundtable (60 minute): Table 1: Considering History in the Study of Movements

Abstract

In my proposed paper, I study the processes of deradicalization within the Khmer Rouge, the extremist Communist movement that rose to power in Cambodia in the aftermath of the Vietnam war. My research comprises life history interviews with former Khmer Rouge members to better understand pathways into and out of affiliation with the Khmer Rouge. I focus on former Khmer Rouge strongholds in Northwestern Cambodia. The Cambodia case is an important one, not only because of its unique pathway to peace but also because it is one of the oldest cases of deradicalization in modern history. Many of the former Khmer Rouge fighters are now in their 60s and 70s, which presents a critical, fleeting opportunity to understand their pathways into and out of radicalization. The Khmer Rouge’s radicalization had a devastating impact on Cambodia’s development. Instead of being forgotten, this terrible history needs to be studied, so that the stories of people who were affected and who continue to be so are heard and become a part of the discourse on how to promote pathways toward deradicalization—an issue that is pressing to peace and stability in many parts of the world, including the United States.

Author

• Mehr Latif, University of Pittsburgh