Public History Commons^™

Ba'ath Party Archives And The Khmer Rouge Records: The Importance Of Cultural Accessibility, Elizabeth M. Thompson

Honors Projects

This paper contrasts the handling, provenance, and application of the Ba’ath Party Archives with that of the Cambodian Khmer Rouge Records. While similar in many facets, the events surrounding the Ba’ath Party Archives received heavy ridicule while the international community largely supported the handling of the Khmer Rouge records. The comparison of the Cambodian and Iraqi case studies’ distinct differences reveal why international opinion varies. It also emphasizes a gap within standard understanding concerning archival law and practices. This exploration will reveal that current archival dialogue focuses too much on a dichotomous relationship between international and national concerns. The author …