Abstract
Cambodian royalism is in its death throes. While the death of King-Father Sihanouk in 2012 caused an outburst of popular emotion, in the national elections held the following year royalists failed for the first time to win any parliamentary seats. A detailed case study of the difficulty of transposing royal legitimacy to the party-political context explains this apparent paradox. During the Second Kingdom (1993–present) a largely hidden struggle to imbue royalism with meaning has unfolded. At the centre of this struggle has been the difficulty of transferring legitimacy from Sihanouk to other royalist actors, and in particular to his son Norodom Ranariddh. Sihanouk’s unmatchable significance has resulted in formidable challenges that now confront Cambodian royalism.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callMore From: Sojourn: Journal of Social Issues in Southeast Asia
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
