Episodes
Podcast producer Ben Beck interviews Cambodian citizen and student, Chhour Kim. Chhour shares the best and worst parts of living in Cambodia. He compares life in the United States with life abroad. Later, they discuss some of the reasons why gender-based violence still exists in Southeast Asia, as well as how to address it effectively. Finally, Ben invites Chhour to share his favorite feature of his home country.
Published 11/19/24
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...
Published 11/05/24
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.
Published 09/24/24
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...
Published 09/10/24
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...
Published 04/30/24
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,...
Published 04/16/24
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,...
Published 04/02/24
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...
Published 03/19/24
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.
Published 03/05/24
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."
Published 02/20/24
Host Christian Pearson is joined by international traveller and cultural expert Bruce Money, who shares his experiences and research while abroad. Later, Bruce defines Hofstede's cultural dimensions and considers their significance within the context of humanitarian research. Christian closes out the episode with some intriguing conclusions from Banerjee & Duflo's book, Poor Economics.
For more information about Hofstede's Cultural Dimensions, visit https://www.hofstede-insights.com/.
Published 02/06/24
Host Christian Pearson and Cambodia enthusiast Shane Harrison take a closer look at the critical role of non-profits (such as the Cambodian Job Foundation) in developing economies. Shane shares key experiences from his time living in Cambodia and offers relevant insights concerning the project's implementation and reception there. They wrap things up with an interesting discourse on Cambodia's tragic history and it's hopeful future.
Published 01/23/24
Host Christian Pearson invites co-producer and marketing professor Dr. Ben Beck onto the podcast to share his thoughts on the Better Marketing for a Better World initiative. Later, Ben reviews 3 notable academic papers on prosocial marketing and connects their respective research designs to the Cambodia Project.
Published 01/09/24
Keynote speaker & marketing VP Logan Mallory joins host Christian Pearson in a riveting conversation about what being generous looks like at the corporate level. Logan shares several illustrative stories about his personal journey in the business world and the innate potential for good within each person. Then, in the spirit of Christmas, they discuss how giving and making sacrifices empowers and lifts businesses, shareholders, and stakeholders alike.
Published 12/26/23
Host Christian Pearson is joined by Asia expert and business scholar Seth Allred for an engaging discussion about the #MeToo movement and its reception throughout Asia. Together, they tackle several of the greatest obstacles to gender equality, and explore potential solutions as they apply to humanitarian research in Cambodia. They wrap things up talking about how to tactfully implement cultural changes in foreign countries, as informed by Melinda Gates' recent book, The Moment of Lift.
Published 12/12/23
Host Christian Pearson welcomes guest Oliza Loy, a Cambodian citizen and Khmer translator, to the podcast. Oliza relates her experience growing up in Phnom Penh, and she and Christian discuss some of the most significant differences between Cambodian culture and Western norms. They conclude by reviewing some of the biggest misconceptions about Cambodia, and Oliza shares her favorite part of her country.
Published 11/28/23
Host Christian Pearson discusses sustainable development, social impact theory, and Southeast Asia with student researcher Kyli Fox Soug. Kyli shares her research experiences both abroad and in her community as they evaluate Cambodia within the context of global SDGs and data-driven interventions. They tie it all back to a quote from a BYU Ballard Center for Social Impact keynote address by Felipe Queipo, UN Communications Officer.
Published 11/14/23
Host Christian Pearson discusses the origins of The Cambodia Project with the man who started it: Ben Beck. Ben shares valuable insights about the project ideation, his investigative rationale, and why he chose to conduct research in Cambodia.
Published 10/31/23
Co-producer Ben Beck interviews host Christian Pearson in this introductory podcast. They discuss goals, expectations, and outcomes of Inside the Cambodia Project podcast.
Published 10/16/23