ASIEN no. 112-113, October 2009

…a comprehensive history of the role of women in Cambodian politics and society.  Theoretically, Trudy Jacobsen’s book can be situated at an interesting intersection between post-structuralist gender studies and Cambodian history.  Bringing in a feminist perspective on the politics of gender relations in Cambodian history, Lost Goddesses closes a gap in social science resea

…a comprehensive history of the role of women in Cambodian politics and society.  Theoretically, Trudy Jacobsen’s book can be situated at an interesting intersection between post-structuralist gender studies and Cambodian history.  Bringing in a feminist perspective on the politics of gender relations in Cambodian history, Lost Goddesses closes a gap in social science research on this issue.

In a context of ongoing struggles for female empowerment, Lost Goddesses is of high political relevance.  What makes Jacobsen’s book an interesting and important scholarly contribution is its emphasis on the intimate connections between narratives on gender, culture and national identity which are still prevalent in contemporary Cambodia.