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Home and Identity in Cambodia : Implications of the Revolution and Internal Turmoil of the 1970S on Children's Right to Education Nadine Agosta

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Home and Identity in Cambodia : Implications of the Revolution and Internal Turmoil of the 1970S on Children's Right to Education Nadine Agosta The University of San Francisco USF Scholarship: a digital repository @ Gleeson Library | Geschke Center Doctoral Dissertations Theses, Dissertations, Capstones and Projects 2009 Home and identity in Cambodia : implications of the revolution and internal turmoil of the 1970s on children's right to education Nadine Agosta Follow this and additional works at: https://repository.usfca.edu/diss Part of the Education Commons Recommended Citation Agosta, Nadine, "Home and identity in Cambodia : implications of the revolution and internal turmoil of the 1970s on children's right to education" (2009). Doctoral Dissertations. 179. https://repository.usfca.edu/diss/179 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Theses, Dissertations, Capstones and Projects at USF Scholarship: a digital repository @ Gleeson Library | Geschke Center. It has been accepted for inclusion in Doctoral Dissertations by an authorized administrator of USF Scholarship: a digital repository @ Gleeson Library | Geschke Center. For more information, please contact [email protected]. The University of San Francisco HOME AND IDENTITY IN CAMBODIA: IMPLICATIONS OF THE REVOLUTION AND INTERNAL TURMOIL OF THE 1970s ON CHILDREN‘S RIGHT TO EDUCATION A Dissertation Presented to The Faculty of the School of Education Department of Leadership Studies In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Education by Nadine Agosta San Francisco May 2009 This dissertation, written under the direction of the candidate‘s dissertation committee and approved by the members of the committee, has been presented to and accepted by the Faculty of the School of Education in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Education. The content and research methodologies presented in this work represent the work of the candidate alone. Nadine Agosta_____________________________ April 7, 2009____ Candidate Date Dissertation Committee Dr. Ellen A. Herda___________________________ April 7, 2009_____ Chairperson Dr. Patricia Mitchell__________________________ April 7, 2009_____ Dr. Brian Gerrard____________________________ April 7, 2009_____ ii THE UNIVERSITY OF SAN FRANCISCO Dissertation Abstract HOME AND IDENTITY IN CAMBODIA: IMPLICATIONS OF THE REVOLUTION AND INTERNAL TURMOIL OF THE 1970s ON CHILDREN‘S RIGHT TO EDUCATION The killing fields constitute one of the worst genocides in history. These events are too painful for most people to discuss, either among themselves or with their children. The current generation of Cambodians who are under the age of 30 are ignorant about the past and the atrocities that occurred during the revolution of the 1970s. This tragic past raises concerns about the ramifications that these events have for children‘s rights and in particular, children‘s entitlement to a quality of education that prepares them for a brighter future. Through a critical hermeneutic approach, this study considers the Cambodian idea of home and identity, the effects of the revolution and the turmoil of the 1970s on children‘s right to education, and the inappropriately low amount of resources subsequently allotted for children‘s education. Critical hermeneutics permits interpretation and understanding through discourse, text creation, text analysis, and the appropriation of new worlds through interpretation of the text. Herda (1999:127) writes that ―text enables us to communicate with each other as researchers in a profession, as researchers in concert with participants, and as readers of the text over time.‖ Through Paul Ricoeur‘s (1992) theory of narrative identity, Hans-Georg Gadamer‘s (1975) theory of fusion of horizons, and Richard Kearney‘s (1988) theory of imagination, I came to new understandings of the identity of the Cambodian survivors of the killing fields and the struggles that they continue to face to survive and to educate their children. This research yielded several findings that could be considered in an effort to redesign the iii Cambodian education system on both national and local levels: 1. lack of parental education; 2. lack of family involvement in education; 3. traditions are not maintained and there is not a venue for storytelling to keep the past in perspective; 4. national strengths and historical contributions are not part of current curriculum; 5. there is no early childhood education program. These findings are critical in light of the rich traditions and cultural contributions of Cambodia and the eagerness of Cambodian children and adults to learn. Nadine Agosta __________________ Dr. Ellen A. Herda_________ Nadine Agosta, Author Dr. Ellen A. Herda, Chairperson, Dissertation Committee iv This dissertation is dedicated to my sister, Andrea Sasso, in gratitude for her unconditional love and support throughout my life. ___________________________________ Acknowledgement: Thank you to Dr. Ellen Herda for changing my life by introducing me to Southeast Asia, and for her continued support and inspiration. Thank you to Dr. Patricia Mitchell and Dr. Brian Gerrard for their willingness to serve and support me in my dissertation process and serve as my committee members. v TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER I: STATEMENT OF RESEARCH Statement of Research………………………………………………………. 1 Statement of the Research Issue…………………………………………….. 2 Background of the Problem …………………………………...…………… 3 Significance of the Research Subject……………………………………….. 5 Summary…………………………………………………………….……… 6 CHAPTER II: THE COUNTRY OF CAMBODIA Introduction…………………………………………………………………. 9 Geography……………………………………………………………........... 9 Demographics………………………………………………………………. 10 Religious Teachings..……………………………………………………….. 12 Political Unrest Prior to the Revolution of the 1970s………………...……. 13 Revolution of the 1970s……………....……………………………………. 16 Economic Deterioration…………………………………………………….. 19 Children‘s Rights and Cambodian Education………….…………………… 21 Summary……………………………………………………………………. 21 CHAPTER III: REVIEW OF LITERATURE Introduction……………………………..…………………………………... 23 Effects of War on a Nation…………………………………………………. 23 The Effects of Development on Cambodia…………………………………. 29 Identity—Its Uses and Misuses………………..……………………………. 32 Genocide and Education…………………………………………………..... 33 Genocide Education in Cambodia…………………………………………... 33 Challenges……………………………………………………………...…… 34 Health and Early Childhood Development………………………………..... 36 Summary…………………………………………………………..………... 38 CHAPTER IV: RESEARCH PROTOCOL/PROCESS Introduction…………………………………………………………...…….. 39 Conceptual Framework…………………………………………………..…. 39 Narrative Identity…………………………………………………… 40 Fusion of Horizons…………………………………………………. 45 Imagination…………………………………….…………………… 47 Summary of Theory………………………………………………… 48 Entrée and Research Site………………………………………………..….. 48 Identifying Participants………………………………………………..……. 51 List of Participants……………………………………………………..…… 55 Data Collection………………………………………………………..……. 56 vi Research Questions…………………………………………………..……... 58 Data Analysis and Text Creation………………..………..………………… 59 Pilot Study…………………………………………………..………………. 62 Keeping a Journal…………………………………………..……………….. 63 Background of the Researcher……………………………….……………... 64 CHAPTER VI: DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS Introduction…………………………………………………………………. 67 Narrative Identity…………………………………………………………… 70 Ignorance of the Past ……………………………………………….. 70 Time……………………………………………………………...… 72 Memories…………………………………………………………… 78 Fusion of Horizons……………………………………….………...……….. 86 Educational Reform………………………………………………… 86 Forgiveness and Healing……………………………………...…….. 92 Imagination……………………………………………………………..….. 95 Solicitude…………………………………………………………… 95 Action …………………………………………………………..….. 96 Education for Today…………………………………… 102 Summary………………………………………………………………..….. 108 CHAPTER VII: SUMMARY Summary…………………………………………………………………… 111 Findings……………………………………………………………………. 112 Research Implications and Proposed Actions…......................................... 116 Recommendations for Future Research…………………………………… 119 Significance of My Research………………………………………………. 120 My Reflections…..………………………………………………………… 121 Final Thoughts..…………………………………………………………… 122 BIBLIOGRAPHY………………………………………………………………… 124 APPENDIXES Appendix A: Pilot Study Transcription and Data Analysis of Conversation 131 with William Ley………………………..………………………………… Appendix B: Timeline of Historical Cambodian History………………… 149 Appendix C: Itinerary of Research Trip Cambodia May 2008……………. 151 Appendix D: Agenda of March 2008 Conference in Siem Reap………….. 152 Appendix E: Pictures of May 2008 Trip……………………………..…… 156 vii ILLUSTRATIONS Figures Page 1. Children acting as tourist guides in Battambang 5 2. Map of Cambodia 10 3. Temple at Angkor Wat 11 4. Researcher working with children at Rotary school 50 5. Children working in pairs at Rotary school 58 6. Researcher interacting with children at lunch at Rotary school 66 7. Girls singing at Rotary School 103 viii CHAPTER I STATEMENT OF RESEARCH Repeatedly, the Khmer Rouge told us that we were insignificant, that to destroy us was no loss. Revenge in the Western sense can be a destructive force in the life of a wronged person, but for Cambodians revenge has a different meaning. By our actions, by what we accomplish, we intend to show that we do have significance. When we have proven the Khmer Rouge wrong in their assessment of our culture and of us as individuals, our revenge will be complete (Criddle 1987:286). Many atrocities occurred in Cambodia during the 1970s under the Khmer Rouge regime. An estimated 1.7 million people—almost a quarter of the population—were executed from 1975
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