#4 Becoming Cambodia

How did the Khmer go from a civilisation which dominated most of mainland Southeast Asia, to a reduced vassal state of either the Siamese or the Vietnamese? Why is Phnom Penh the capital rather than Siem Reap? Why are the Vietnamese the ‘hereditary enemy’ of the Khmer? Time period covered: 1431 - 1800 The next part of the series is hugely important for establishing the context of Cambodia in the 20th century, and therefore the factors leading to the Khmer Rouge revolution. The transition [...]

Om Podcasten

In the Shadows of Utopia is the first podcast which aims to explain - in detail - the Khmer Rouge revolution of 1975 and the period which followed, often known as 'the Cambodian Genocide', or more simply as 'the Killing Fields'. Cambodian history is as fascinating as it is touching. Lachlan Peters, having been a student of the country's past for more than a decade, is aiming to give the listener an account and explanation of the totality of Cambodian history which will improve the understanding of anyone who wishes to know more about this beautiful Southeast Asian nation, as well as the tragedy it faced in the 1970s. The crimes of the Khmer Rouge have been well documented in film and books, but never have they been explored within the dynamic medium of podcasting. In what will amount to a college level explanation of this tragic loss of human life, listeners are invited to learn more about Cambodia than simply the crimes of Pol Pot. In the Shadows of Utopia will seek to explain the entire story, with interviews with experts and historians and will prove exceptionally useful to someone who would like to know more about Cambodia than what is provided by a single documentary or biography.