Religion, resistance and responding to genocide: the Cham in Cambodia

Rachel Killean

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapter (peer-reviewed)peer-review

Abstract

This chapter explores the extent to which religion can provide targeted groups with a means of resisting and responding to acts of genocide. It uses a case study of the experience of the Cham Islamic community, a group that was subjected to a genocide during the Cambodian Khmer Rouge regime (1975–1979). Much of the research into the Cham’s resistance to genocide has focused on acts of armed rebellion. However, this chapter shines a light on what James C. Scott (1985) describes as acts of “everyday resistance” employed in the face of genocidal violence, focusing on forms of religious resistance. Drawing from fieldwork in March 2017, as well as accounts from Cham scholars, this chapter highlights how members of the Cham community strived to keep their religious practice alive in the face of suppression and violence. By focusing on the “everyday,” this chapter also reveals the particular role of women in resisting and responding to genocide.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationRoutledge handbook on religion, mass atrocity, and genocide
EditorsSara E. Brown, Stephen D. Smith
PublisherRoutledge
Chapter21
Number of pages10
ISBN (Electronic)9780429317026
ISBN (Print)9780367321505
Publication statusPublished - 18 Nov 2021

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Religion, resistance and responding to genocide: the Cham in Cambodia'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this