ASRIC

Chum Reap Suor!

On behalf of the Applied Social Research Institute of Cambodia (ASRIC), I welcome you to this online site, which will provide information about ASRIC, its programming initiatives, and current research agenda. As a founding member and Executive Director, I invite you to explore our site. Envisioned as a research institute, ASRIC is the only organization dedicated to bridging the gap between theory and practice. Invested in developing a community of scholars, activists, and community leaders, ASRIC is a grass-roots research institute. ASRIC’s ultimate mission is to train Cambodian university graduates to conduct such applied research from within Cambodia.

With this in mind, ASRIC is necessarily invested in the development and facilitation of human security, social justice, and community building in the aftermath of the Khmer Rouge and the Democratic Kampuchean Era. Indeed, it was under the Khmer Rouge regime that Cambodian history was tragically transformed. Over a three-year, eight month, twenty-day period (between 1975-1979), an estimated 1.7 million Cambodians perished as a result of starvation, forced labor, disease, and execution. As an organization, we are therefore not only respectful but ever-aware of the need to explore avenues that foment communal reclamation, healing, and justice.

As you explore our pages, we look forward to you joining the ASRIC community. We invite you to meet our dedicated staff and learn what we are all about. As you will soon learn, we have been quite busy and we look forward to you becoming involved. To be sure, our strength comes from our community and our volunteers. We therefore encourage you to contact us if you are interested contributing to ASRIC.

With much respect and appreciation,

Leakhena Nou, Ph.D.