Inside The Cambodia Project

Host Christian Pearson is joined by David Benaim, a veritable Excel expert who believes that Cambodia weathered Covid better than any other country in the world. David describes his life as an expat living in Cambodia, and later he tells the compelling story of how he used statistics and excel sheets to fight misinformation and chaos during the global pandemic. He concludes with some key insights from his UNICEF report, which describes how different countries performed across a number of key indicators in the aftermath of the coronavirus.

Podcast producer Ben Beck invites Sam Christensen, host and director of The Best 2 podcast, onto the show. Sam shares some of his greatest impressions from his experience as a full-time missionary in Cambodia. Then, Ben and Sam discuss some of the cultural differences inherent to Southeast Asia and form hypotheses about their effect on small businesses. Finally, Sam explains what The Best 2 podcast is all about, and encourages listeners to tune in on their preferred platform.

Host Christian Pearson asks research fellows Seth Allred and Kyli Fox-Soug to talk about their experiences living and working in Cambodia for two weeks. Seth and Kyli share their initial reactions to the country, discuss various challenges related to international research, and reflect on their biggest takeaways from their time in Southeast Asia.

Host Christian Pearson kicks off Season 2 of the podcast to share an in-depth discussion on building peace with Mr. Som Chanmony, program director of the Cambodian NGO, Peace Bridges. Som (Mony) explains how his background as a former gang member influences the way he now works for peace in his community. He also tackles hard questions, including how to address generational PTSD in Cambodia, and how to heal broken relationships. 

For more information about Peace Bridges, visit their website at https://peacebridges.net/

Host Christian Pearson and producer Ben Beck discuss their impending research trip while recording in an unconventional studio: the San Francisco International Airport. Ben goes into detail about research design and specific interventions to be implemented in Cambodia, while Christian shares some surprising findings about fixed vs. growth mindset. Next, they talk about the experiences they are most excited for, including touring the Angkor Wat Temple and exploring the floating villages on the Tonle Sap. Finally, Christian closes the episode by announcing a summer hiatus, but promises to return for Season 2 in the Fall.

Host Christian Pearson and global logistics expert, Dr. Scott Webb, share a fascinating discourse on the topic of cultural differences across international borders. Scott relates several stories from his years of experience, illustrating the power of cultural intelligence to create lasting business relationships. Then, they talk about how researchers might approach various cultural differences in Cambodia. Scott concludes the discussion by highlighting the importance of humility, compassion, and love to become truly "cultured."

Host Christian Pearson discusses the scope and significance of domestic violence with Matápuna Levenson, a victim advocate and project manager for the Asian Pacific Insititute on Gender-Based Violence. Puna describes the differences between a direct-service and a systematic community approach to violence prevention. Later, she underscores the importance of balancing good intentions with locally-supported interventions, in order to build trust and increase impact in a community. Finally, Christian and Puna take a closer look at the implications of working with small-business owners to address gender-based violence in Cambodia.

Host Christian Pearson is joined by Dr. Dana Bourgerie, the director of the Cambodian Oral History Project. Dana reveals his unique connections to Southeast Asia and goes on to share some of his findings relating to the Chinese diaspora in that part of the world. At that point, Christian and Dana discuss the importance of knowing one's personal history, and Dr. Bourgerie explains how the Cambodian Oral History Project is helping the Khmer to do just that. They finish out the podcast with some incredibly inspiring stories from present-day Cambodians.

For more information about the Cambodian Oral History Project, visit their website at cambodianoralhistoryproject.byu.edu

Host Christian Pearson and CSR proponent Ben Lewis take a deeper look at a hot topic in the business world: Corporate Social Responsibility. Ben shares key findings from his archival research on how rankings affect the way firms approach CSR. Later, they discuss the controversy surrounding the blurring lines between corporations and government, and examine the issue of "greenwashing" as a potential problem for small businesses in Cambodia.

Host Christian Pearson is joined by recently returned missionary Ellyn Ohms for an enlightening discussion on religion in Cambodia. Ellyn shares how Buddhism influences the Khmer culture, and identifies families as a key societal fixture in Southeast Asia. Later, they examine the role of faith in the aftermath of the Khmer Rouge genocide, and conclude with an inspiring dialogue centered around the "City of Smiles."