Identity and transition -- To be Khmer is to be Buddhist -- Early socialization: observing the child -- Moral education: the child within the family -- Schooling in America -- Sexuality and marriage -- The search for the middle path
Summary
Based on long-term research among Cambodians residing in metropolitan Boston, this rich ethnography provides a vivid and moving portrait of the trials and tribulations of Khmer American culture, seen from the perspective of elders attempting to preserve Khmer Buddhism in a deeply unfamiliar world. With particular emphasis on Khmer conceptions of personhood, morality, and sexuality, Nancy J. Smith-Hefner considers how this cultural heritage influences the performance of Khmer children in American schools and, ultimately determines Khmer engagement with American culture
Bibliography
Includes bibliographical references (pages 219-230) and index
