Khmer American
Subtitle: identity and moral education in a diasporic community
By: Nancy J. Smith-Hefner.
Publisher: University of California Press
Published: 1999
Place of publication: Berkeley
Language: eng
Number of pages: 237
Subjects: Cambodian Americans -- Massachusetts -- Boston -- Ethnic identity.; Cambodian Americans -- Massachusetts -- Boston -- Religion.; Boston (Mass.) -- Ethnic relations.
Description: Based on long-term research among Cambodians residing in metropolitan Boston, this rich ethnography provides a vivid portrait of the challenges facing Khmer American culture as seen from the perspective of elders attempting to preserve Khmer Buddhism in a deeply unfamiliar world. The study highlights the tensions and ambivalences of Khmer socialization, with particular emphasis on Khmer conceptions of personhood, morality, and sexuality. Nancy J. Smith-Hefner considers how this cultural heritage influences the performance of Khmer children in American schools and, ultimately, determines Khmer engagement with American culture.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references (p. 219-230) and index.