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The Bunong Culture of Silence: Exploring Bunong perspectives on participation at the interface between Bunong culture and development organisations.

Smith, Philip LU (2010) MIDM70 20101
LUMID International Master programme in applied International Development and Management
Abstract
The Bunong indigenous minority who live in the North-East of Cambodia have experienced rapid change in the last decade. With the arrival of commercialised society has come the development agenda, which has sought the participation of minorities, but with only limited success. Using Long’s concept of ‘interface analysis’, the purpose of this study is to examine how cultural change has effected Bunong people’s interaction with NGOs (Non-Government Organisations).
The study has employed qualitative interviews, secondary historical and ethnographic works, and the authors own 4 years of experience to construct an ethnography of change, and an analysis of Bunong-NGO interaction.
Four reinforcing narratives were identified: rapid external... (More)
The Bunong indigenous minority who live in the North-East of Cambodia have experienced rapid change in the last decade. With the arrival of commercialised society has come the development agenda, which has sought the participation of minorities, but with only limited success. Using Long’s concept of ‘interface analysis’, the purpose of this study is to examine how cultural change has effected Bunong people’s interaction with NGOs (Non-Government Organisations).
The study has employed qualitative interviews, secondary historical and ethnographic works, and the authors own 4 years of experience to construct an ethnography of change, and an analysis of Bunong-NGO interaction.
Four reinforcing narratives were identified: rapid external change, weak conservatism, knowledge fault-lines, and cultural inferiority. It is argued that these combine to form a Freirien 'Culture of Silence', where the Bunong own the view of the dominant discourse - that their life project is inferior - causing them look to external models of development.
As NGOs act in this environment, they are in danger of perpetuating this problem. While programming suggests that agendas are sensitive to the Bunong environment, the culture of modern Khmer organisations reinforces the perception of cultural inferiority and perpetuates dependency on external knowledge. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Smith, Philip LU
supervisor
organization
course
MIDM70 20101
year
type
H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
subject
language
English
id
1607303
date added to LUP
2010-11-09 14:36:49
date last changed
2016-03-23 11:33:03
@misc{1607303,
  abstract     = {{The Bunong indigenous minority who live in the North-East of Cambodia have experienced rapid change in the last decade. With the arrival of commercialised society has come the development agenda, which has sought the participation of minorities, but with only limited success. Using Long’s concept of ‘interface analysis’, the purpose of this study is to examine how cultural change has effected Bunong people’s interaction with NGOs (Non-Government Organisations).
The study has employed qualitative interviews, secondary historical and ethnographic works, and the authors own 4 years of experience to construct an ethnography of change, and an analysis of Bunong-NGO interaction. 
Four reinforcing narratives were identified: rapid external change, weak conservatism, knowledge fault-lines, and cultural inferiority. It is argued that these combine to form a Freirien 'Culture of Silence', where the Bunong own the view of the dominant discourse - that their life project is inferior - causing them look to external models of development.
As NGOs act in this environment, they are in danger of perpetuating this problem. While programming suggests that agendas are sensitive to the Bunong environment, the culture of modern Khmer organisations reinforces the perception of cultural inferiority and perpetuates dependency on external knowledge.}},
  author       = {{Smith, Philip}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{The Bunong Culture of Silence: Exploring Bunong perspectives on participation at the interface between Bunong culture and development organisations.}},
  year         = {{2010}},
}