Description
Book SynopsisThe peace agreement, major reconstruction efforts and UN-supervised elections that followed Cambodia's dark period of civil war and genocide have not brought the democracy and reconstruction that was hoped for. Political stability has emerged but seemingly only at the expense of democracy. Moreover, reconstruction efforts appear to be at odds with processes of liberal democratization.
This volume (written by a broad mix of Khmer and non-Khmer researchers) is the first study to assess the post-conflict democratization and reconstruction process in Cambodia in a systematic and in-depth empirical way. In going beyond a one-dimensional view of democracy, the full complexity of this process is illuminated and an assessment is made about the viability of such post-conflict strategies elsewhere round the globe.
Table of ContentsBeyond Democracy in Cambodia (Joakim Ojendal and Mona Lilja); Reconstructing Legitimate Political Authority through Elections? (Caroline Hughes); The Judicial System and Democratization (Kheang Un); Decentralization as a Strategy for State Reconstruction (Kim Sedara and Joakim Ojendal); Globalization, Women's Political Participation and the Politics of Legitimacy and Reconstruction (Mona Lilja); The Political Economy of Aid and Regime Legitimacy (Sophal Ear); (Re) creating Local Political Legitimacy Through Governance Intervention? (Malin Hasselskog); Cambodian Religion since 1989 (John Marston); Re-establishing Legitimacy through the 'Extraordinary Chambers' in the Courts of Cambodia (Laura McGrew); The Never-Ending Hunt for Political Legitimacy in a Post-Conflict Cambodia (Mona Lilja and Joakim Ojendal).
