‘Here was the place’: (Re)Performing Khmer Rouge Archives of Violence

This study reveals the dual nature of memorial sites, particularly those linked to Cambodia's Khmer Rouge era, by distinguishing between the conservative materiality of archives and the embodied memory of performance. It demonstrates how sites like Tuol Sleng Museum (S21) and Choeung Ek (The Killing Fields) use performative elements—such as gestures, orality, and movement—to challenge the hegemonic power of institutionalized archives. Drawing on Taylor's framework from The Archive and the Repertoire, the research argues that performance-based representation offers a more dynamic, affective presence for historical narratives, countering the static legitimacy of archival evidence. The study employs qualitative analysis to explore how these sites balance remembrance with ethical spectatorship, providing insight into the complex interplay between memory, trauma, and public commemoration.

Willis, E. (2014). ‘Here was the place’: (Re)Performing Khmer Rouge Archives of Violence. Theatricality, Dark Tourism and Ethical Spectatorship, 129–160. https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137322654_5