Time to break up with the international community? Rhetoric and realities of a political myth in Cambodia

Abstract

The international community is as ubiquitous as it is elusive and its universalist pretensions remain unchallenged in political and academic discourse. In response, this article turns to Bottici's work on political myths. Against the notion of myths as falsehoods, we argue that they create their own sphere of shared social and political reality. The analysis centres on the case of Cambodia, a country that served as an experiment of liberal interventionism. It draws on archival and field research on two consecutive international interventions, a review of public statements by international actors, and interviews with Cambodian actors and activist. We argue that to understand the ideas actors use to orient themselves as they press for change, it is necessary to consider how decades of engagement with the myth have shaped the political imaginary. Our empirical analysis points to three different phases in the use of the myth: Its production during UNTAC, the reinforcement of its narratives through subsequent legal, aid and development interventions, and finally its contemporary use in a post-liberal context. We observe that Cambodian actors increasingly engage the myth to question the terms of transnational cooperation for democracy. Our work has implications for assessments of the legacies of liberal peacebuilding.

The power of uptake: Negative emotions and the (neo)liberal limits of imagination in transitions to justice and peace

“…Emphasis on the importance of widespread acceptance of human rights as a precursor for peace and stability, or frequent reminders that people benefit from the support of “the international community,” for instance, can introduce and perpetuate biases against negative emotions in quite powerful and profound ways. In a context of global inequity and ingrained hierarchies, nations subject to interventions do feel a teleological push to show their gratefulness and prove their worth to an international audience (Travouillon and Bernath, 2021). This dependency entails demonstrating that their communities and country have transformed and are sufficiently emotionally stable to merit developmental aid and attract foreign investment (Flam, 2013: 373; Saunders, 2008: 52).…”

Outsourcing Outreach: ‘Counter-translation’ of Outreach Activities at the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia

“…The ECCC Outreach programme furnishes one example of how cultural phenomena are disseminated as elements of what Travouillon and Bernath (2020) describe as the international community's universalist pretensions. This process takes place through “ongoing interactions between interveners, donors, representatives of foreign governments, the Cambodian elite, and the Cambodian population” (ibid.…”