This thesis looks into the memory politics applied by the government of Cambodia during the post Khmer Rouge (KR) regime period from 1979-2015. I will analyse this period through a Case Study...Show moreThis thesis looks into the memory politics applied by the government of Cambodia during the post Khmer Rouge (KR) regime period from 1979-2015. I will analyse this period through a Case Study design and therein by applying the article by Wustenberg & Sierp, on the different levels of agents that use or influence memory politics surrounding the two internationally known memorial sites: Tuol Sleng and Choeung Genocidal center. To do so, I will first provide historical background information on the rise to power of Pol Pot and his Khmer Rouge regime, followed by a short recount of the historical events after the KR regime and the rise to power of the Hun Sen government. Throughout this thesis I will show that the question posed by Wustenberg & Sierp, whether a government has a monopoly on memory politics, can be answered positively in the case of post KR Cambodia. Furthermore, I will argue that the Holocaust narrative seemingly fits in the case of Cambodia, but when taking a closer look at the two memorial sites it can be seen that this is not the case, as the memorials are more about attracting international visitors and showing them a partial truth of the KR regime.Show less
