Organizer: Center or Khmer Studies
Type/Location: Hybrid / Siem Reap, Cambodia
Description:
Join the Center for Khmer Studies for a series of research presentations for the 2025 Junior Resident Fellows Program (JRFP). Fourteen undergraduate fellows from Cambodia, France, and the U.S. will present their individual research projects in English on topics including Cambodian history, culture, literature, gender studies, economics, and sustainability.
Eleven public sessions will be held in person at the CKS Conference Hall in Siem Reap and online via Zoom on August 12 (10:00 PM – 11:30 PM) and August 13 (2:30 AM – 4:00 AM & 10:00 PM – 11:10 PM).
Please note that the in-house sessions are by invitation only and not open to the public.
Public Presentations - August 12
10:10 pm – 10:30 pm: Karen Hill, “Ruins and Remedies: The Hospital Sites of Jayavarman VII”
Abstract: Spaces, particularly those inhabited in times of uncertainty, communicate knowledge of the people of the past and offer insight into their lives. The hospital sites of Angkor are such spaces. Individuals with varying ailments come into their most vulnerable and uncertain state in these spaces that are designed to evoke certainty in a life of perils. Within this research paper, I explore three aspects of the hospital sites constructed under the reign of Jayavarman VII in the 12th and 13th centuries: spirituality; treatment and pharmaceuticals; and political implications. Over the course of this study, I combine archaeological research, study of the history of medicine, and religious context to provide insight into the workings of these spaces of healing.
10:30 pm – 10:50 pm: Evelyn Wyman, “Ros Serey Sothea and the Construction of Legacy”
Abstract: Ros Serey Sothea’s legacy — her voice, her story, and her image — remains a powerful cultural force in Cambodia decades after her disappearance. The collective memory of her life and music is one of the most salient cultural artifacts from the period and continues to grip both Cambodians and foreigners alike. In this project, I investigate how her memory is preserved and reimagined in Siem Reap today. Through interviews, site observations, and analysis of how her image and music are used in public and commercial spaces, I show how her legacy continues to evolve.
10:50 pm – 11:10 pm: Stacy Giu, “The Lost Neak Ta: A Children’s Folklore Storybook”
Abstract: Neak Ta spirits play a central role in Cambodian folk religion and animistic belief systems, interwoven with the everyday Buddhist practices across the country. This project employs the form of a children’s storybook as a deliberate bridge between traditional folklore and contemporary childhoods, particularly those in urban areas where English dominates ancestral tongues and spiritual practices may fade from view. The Lost Neak Ta works to reclaim cultural memory through storytelling, offering healing in the shadow of post-Khmer Rouge recovery. By engaging young readers through rhyme-based narrative, I aim to preserve and reimagine traditional spiritual knowledge as an imperative.
11:10 pm – 11:30 pm: Mardy Hak, “Female Depiction in Nou Hach’s Phka Sropoan (Wilted Flower)”
Abstract: This research paper will explore the representation of women in early modern Cambodian society through an in-depth analysis of the female protagonist in Pkha Sropoan ‘Wilted Flower’ by Nou Hach. Set in the mid-20th century, the novel reflects deeply rooted social and cultural expectations placed upon women. Vitheavy, the novel’s female protagonist, portrayed as gentle and emotionally restrained, represents the ideal Khmer woman shaped by traditional values such as the Chbab Srey, the code of conduct for women. However, a close reading of Vitheavy’s emotional journey also reveals a subtle critique of the limitations imposed on women and prevailing patriarchal narratives.
Public Presentations - August 13
2:40 am – 3:00 am: Bopha Kosal, “Behind Closed Doors: How Urban Khmer Women Navigate Cambodia’s Domestic Violence Law”
Abstract: Behind closed doors, beyond the reach of formal institutions, a complex diversity of perspectives exists among urban Khmer women in regards to the 2005 law on the Prevention of Domestic Violence and the Protection of Victims. Using a survey-based approach, this research examines how urban Khmer women in Phnom Penh respond to intimate partner violence by investigating if and how awareness of the 2005 law translates into a willingness to use the legal system. The research findings show that awareness of the law and trust in the Cambodian legal system exist, but many women are nonetheless reluctant to pursue their legal rights. In response, many women adopt alternative strategies “behind closed doors” to manage or escape domestic violence, exposing a disconnect between the law in theory and the law in practice.
3:20 am – 3:40 am: Lyheng Hun, “Skill Levels of New Employees in the Accommodation Sector in Siem Reap”
Abstract: This research explores the skill levels of new employees in the accommodation sector in Siem Reap, a major tourism hub in Cambodia. Drawing on interviews with hotel managers and employees, as well as government and academic reports, the study focuses on three key skill areas: English communication, customer service, and problem-solving. Findings show that many new hires enter the accommodation sector workforce with limited readiness, requiring significant on-the-job training. These skill gaps impact service quality and business efficiency. The study recommends improvements in vocational education and stronger links between training institutions and industry to better prepare workers for employment in Cambodia’s tourism sector.
3:40 am – 4:00 am: Sopheavy Long, “Examining Cambodian Coffee Culture in Siem Reap”
Abstract: Cambodia’s constantly evolving coffee culture landscape extends beyond the factors of price, taste, branding, and location. Rooted in the French period (1863-1953), coffee cultivation and consumption have become heavily embedded in modern Cambodia’s coffee consumer habits. While existing studies have explored the economic and sensory factors affecting coffee consumers’ preferences, far less is known about the role of Khmer cultural and national identity. To address this question, I turn to the residents of the cultural capital of Siem Reap to assess whether something as intangible as national pride can influence a consumer’s choice of coffee.
10:10 pm – 10:30 pm: Ori Ben Yossef, “Waste Processing and Plastic Recycling Entrepreneurship in Cambodia”
Abstract: Much plastic waste in Cambodia is burned, buried, or dumped into the environment, with hazardous health and safety consequences. Yet, a network of entrepreneurs and investors is working to implement recycling on a growing scale. In the effort to stop plastic pollution, what can we learn from those leading the way? Through interview-based case studies of Gomi Recycle and Asia Data Destruction, I study the nuances and challenges of a business that transforms plastic and electronic waste into usable forms. These insights can help prospective entrepreneurs and investors ask the right questions and make lasting change.
10:30 pm – 10:50 pm: Hugo Chung, “When the Tribunal Was Over: Justice, Memory, and the ECCC’s Legacy in Cambodia”
Abstract: Now that the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC) has concluded its work, what remains is memory and the unfinished work of justice. While international observers often focus on the court’s limited prosecutions, I look beyond the courtroom to the newly opened archive, educational outreach, and reparative cultural initiatives like Phka Sla. I examine how the ECCC operates on two registers: one rooted in traditional conceptions of international criminal law, and another in local and transitional forms of justice. In this post-tribunal moment, what does justice mean for Cambodians, and who is shaping its memory?
10:50 pm – 11:10 pm: Rani Chor, “Universal Healthcare Access and Perception in Cambodia”
Abstract: Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and Cambodia’s evolving health system—still in its formative stages following decades of conflict and reconstruction—represent a critical nexus for examining equitable access to care. This community-engaged study examines healthcare-seeking behaviors and access disparities through direct engagement with patients, community leaders, policymakers, and medical practitioners, with particular attention to disparities shaped by geography, income, and institutional trust. Drawing on in-country fieldwork, the research combines grounded qualitative insights with analysis of national health policy documents and archival materials. By centering community perspectives, this study highlights how local understandings of care interact with national reforms, contributing to broader debates on global health governance, equity, and the localization of UHC frameworks.
Registration:
To attend the event in person, please register here.
To attend the event online, please register here.