Summer Field Trip to Cambodia (1-12 June,2017) for major in anthropology
postgraduate students (MA)
This year, Professor Sharon Wong will lead a 12-day field trip to Cambodia. This will
be the first credit-bearing summer course – ANTH3321 Topics in Anthropology for
undergraduate students from Department of Anthropology. We are also welcome
MA students major in anthropology to join this field trip. The main theme of the trip
will be “the Meanings of Cultural Heritage and Archaeological Sites to “Insiders” and
“Outsiders””. At the core of the trip, students are required to participate in two-day
workshop on interactive lecture and discussion on digital heritage and intangible
cultural heritage studies in Cambodia, and hands-on sessions on archaeological
artifacts (in collaboration with School of Archaeology, Royal University of Fine Arts,
National Museum of Cambodia, Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum (S-21), Phnom Penh,
APSARA Authority, Angkor, University of Sydney, and Centre for Khmer Studies, Siem
Reap etc.)
Place: Cambodia
Dates: 1-12 June, 2017
Fee: HK$9600 for the trip
Online application form:
https://cloud.itsc.cuhk.edu.hk/webform/view.php?id=2939785
Deadline for submission: 7th March, 2017 (Tue) 5pm
Some of the expected outcomes of the field trip are:
 Understand the cultural heritage studies, archaeology, museum anthropology
and people and cultures in Southeast Asia in concrete experience;
 Study the various interpretations of “Memory of the World”—case study on the
memory of Khmer Rouge and “World Heritage”—case study of Angkor
 Connect cultural dynamics with local and international researchers/students in
Cambodia –study the meanings of cultural heritage and archaeological sites to
‘insiders’ and ‘outsiders’;
 Know how to collect data and prepare a mini research report on a case study of
cultural heritage/archaeological site or museum;
 Learn to communicate with local people in ways other than students’ spoken
language;
 Use inter-disciplinary approaches and critical thinking in discussing heritage
issues
Program of the trip tentatively includes:
 Conducting participant observations, interviews and group research projects in
1-2 cultural heritage/archaeological site(s) or museum(s);
 Visit the major temples of Angkor National Park and some archaeological sites;
 Meeting with researchers and students in local and international Institutions;
 Meeting with archaeologists and anthropologists working in Angkor-World
Heritage Site in Southeast Asia;
 Daily briefing sessions and workshops
Difficulties:
Students should be prepared for some challenges, and mentally make a commitment
not to complain since the fieldwork is going to be short;
 It will be very hot; not all sites and institutions will have AC, the average high
35-40C, it may have heavy rain.
 Language: all local people speak Khmer, some of the local students and
researchers can speak fairly good English, Mandarin and/or French;
 Food: some meals may be very simple especially near the archaeological sites;
we will try to go out occasionally to eat in restaurants;
 Students will be stay in pairs or with local Khmer students. Exact arrangements
to be arranged, and depend on the male/female breakdown.
 Hard work: students should expect to spend many hours writing field notes and
studying archaeological artifacts, and participant observations in some field
sites. After the field trip, students will use their findings to curate a summer
field trip exhibition at Hui Gallery at Hui Gallery, CUHK (Oct, 2017)
The summer field trip will be a rewarding and unique life experience for
anthropology students to understand culture of another place. Do not miss this great
learning opportunity.
The summer field trip will be divided into three parts:
Part 1: Workshops (14:30-16:30pm, NAH401)
Workshop 1 (16th May, 2017, Tue)
Brief Introduction on the course requirement and the arrangement of the summer
field trip
Topic: Angkor as a World Cultural Heritage site in Cambodia
Workshop 2 (23rd May, 2017, Tue)
Discuss the group project topic and ideas
Topic: Southeast Asian archaeology in Cambodia
Workshop 3 (29th May, 2017, Mon)
Finalize the group project proposal and reminder on the summer field trip
Topic: Peoples and Cultures in Cambodia
Part: 2 Field Trip
Day 1-4 Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Day 1 (1/6)
Activities: meet up undergraduate students and teachers in School of Archaeology,
Royal University of Fine Arts, visit National Museum of Cambodia and Conservation
Laboratories of Metal, Ceramics and Stone Artifacts
Day 2 (2/6)
Activities: visit Royal Palace; group interview and participant observation on selected
research topics
Day 3 (3/6)
Activities: visit Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum (S-21), Documentation Center of
Cambodia (DC-CAM), Cheung Ek archaeological site and Killing Fields
Day 4 (4/6)
Activities: Group interview and participant observation on selected research topics;
travel to Siem Reap
Day 5-12 Siem Reap
Day 5 (5/6)
Activities: meet up archaeologists/researchers and one-day workshop on studying
archaeological artifacts in Angkor International Centre for Research and
Documentation, APSARA Authority; and visit Tani Kiln Ceramic Site Museum
Day 6 (6/6)
Activities: visit Angkor National Park and archaeological sites (Angkor Wat, Bayon,
Royal Palace, and Prasat Sour Prat etc.)
Day 7 (7/6)
Activities: visit Angkor National Park and archaeological sites (Angkor Thom, such as
Ta Prohm, Chau Say Thevoda, Ta Keo, and Sras Srang etc.)
Day 8 (8/6)
Activities: visit Angkor National Park and archaeological sites (Banteay Srei, and Bea
Mealea etc.)
Day 9 (9/6)
Activities: half-day workshop on interactive lecture on digital heritage and intangible
cultural heritage studies in Cambodia (in collaboration with University of Sydney,
APSARA Authority and Center for Khmer Studies)
Day 10 (10/6)
Activities: Group interview and participant observation on selected research topics
Visit Wat Bo Monastery
Day 11 (11/6)
Activities: Group interview and participant observation on selected research topics
Day 12 (12/6)
Activities: Group presentation and wrap up
Part 3: Curating Summer Field Trip Exhibition at Hui Gallery, CUHK (Oct 2017)