Cambodia

There is a widespread misunderstanding that Cambodia does not have any serious-minded literature. According to Teri Yamada, professor of Asian studies, it is instead the infrastructure of publication and distribution that is lacking. The main problem though, he says, is that a writer who dares to critique the social and political status quo risks dire consequences.

The indigenous people of Cambodia still live in close proximity to the tropical rainforests so vital for humanity at large, but which are now speedily being cut down. According to Alexandra Kent, docent of social anthropology, the government’s attempts to strengthen the indigenous people’s rights by introducing communal land ownership has proven a complicated and indiscriminate process.

The great era of national anthems is over but anthems can still narrate a nation’s history. David Chandler, writer and professor emeritus at Monash University, allows the anthems of Cambodia to paint a picture of the country’s violent and turbulent 20th century.