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How the Cambodian People’s Party Renews Power

Organizers: Nordic Institute of Asian Studies and NYSEAN

Lecture Series: Cambodia Seminar Series

Description:

For this seminar, the two speakers will discuss their articles from a recent special issue of Contemporary Southeast Asia with NYSEAN co-founder Duncan McCargo.

Taken together, the two articles identify and explain the mechanisms for the renewal of the core Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) elites within different institutions and constituencies. While Loughlin demonstrates how the children of Hun Sen’s loyal elites assume leadership within the party, military and business, Norén-Nilsson analyses how youth organizations reproduce party, state and economic elite structures, and function as platforms for CPP scions to take on roles within the state. The CPP’s adjustments can be understood as hamstrung by the particular logics engrained in the party’s exercise of power so far, reproducing the exclusion of most of society. Both authors conclude that these initiatives are likely to have long-lasting consequences through the regeneration of a relatively stable core of ruling elites

Speakers:

Astrid Norén-Nilsson is a senior lecturer at the Centre for East and South-East Asian Studies, Lund University, Sweden

Neil Loughlin is a lecturer in politics at City, University of London, UK

Moderator:

Duncan McCargo, Director of the Nordic Institute of Asian Studies and NYSEAN co-founder. 

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