Lost Goddesses: The Denial of Female Power in Cambodian History

This is an impressively thorough examination of the role of women in the cultural and political life of Cambodia throughout recorded history. Given the huge number of references, some of them extremely esoteric, I imagine that the author labored for years on this book.As a reference work it is a goldmine: anyone researching the position of women in Cambodia at any point in the past 1200 years will find something useful. It is however not easy to read, as Jacobsen often sacrifices analysis for a dogged list of quotes from her sources, many of them either repetitive or naggingly trivial. And while they all serve to forward her argument that women occupied an equal place with men in Cambodian culture and politics until the 19th century, I occasionally felt that she was a bit too insistent. If women were so obviously living on an equal basis with men, why would it be necessary to dig so deep to find that evidence?The earlier chapters of the book are less polished than the final chapters, in which Jacobsen has warmed to her topic and is now able to offer a broader perspective on women in Cambodian society. Her chapter on life under the Khmer Rouge is interesting and convincing, as is the final chapter which summarizes her argument well in light of the evidence presented.I will say that having read this book I will never look at Cambodian history in the same way again. Jacobsen's treatment of rape, polygyny, and female power in the spiritual realm is especially eye-opening and credible, given her many years of study in Cambodia. Numerous photos and illustrations in the book are well-selected and relevant to the text.

This is a well written and thoroughly researched text. It includes many fascinating details about Cambodian society that may well be lost now after the years of social upheaval. The details about the koan kroach ( the smoked foetus, torn from the living mother allegedly used to protect the wearer against attack) are frightening but helped me to understand certain accounts of Khmer Rouge revolution survivors who mention similar acts; possibly these type of acts are embedded in an old Cambodian culture that exists under the layers of the Hindu-Buddhist religion that they have adopted. It is a scholarly account and well worth reading and adding to your collection of Cambodian research literature.

Jacobsen is a scholar to watch! This phenomenal book will be a welcome addition to any collection of writing about Southeast Asia. The fact that elite women held important historical roles is no surprise, but Jacobsen's book offers the first in-depth scholarship about women's roles in Cambodia. She also details the kinds of power that women could confer, not only in elite roles or patronage but also as family members and in sacrificial roles. Jacobsen makes a compelling case that specific political and cultural actors suppressed women's roles in the 19th century, with effects still felt today. Lost Goddesses is a must-read for anyone seeking information about the roots of contemporary Khmer culture and gender dynamics in Cambodia today.

Excellent protection of the item!