Powerful remains: the continuing presence of victims of the Khmer Rouge regime in today‘s Cambodia

Physical remains and images of victims from the Khmer Rouge regime (1975–79) have emerged as powerful, contested symbols in Cambodia's memorial landscape. These remnants—including skulls and execution site photographs—serve as iconic representations of the regime's atrocities, shaping public memory and interpretations of its legacy. While forbidden during the regime, post-1979 memorialization has proliferated through both public and private ceremonies, particularly at former killing fields. This study examines how these remains and visual depictions are deployed in ongoing historical narratives, reflecting Cambodia’s evolving relationship with its traumatic past.

Jarvis, H. (2015). Powerful remains: the continuing presence of victims of the Khmer Rouge regime in today‘s Cambodia. Human Remains and Violence: An Interdisciplinary Journal, 1(2), 36–55. https://doi.org/10.7227/hrv.1.2.5