The Cost of Imperialism: Designing a Model of Reparations to Laos from the U.S. for the Secret War Bombing
Abstract/Contents
- Abstract
- During the Secret War concurrent with the Vietnam War era, the U.S. dropped over 270 million cluster bombs on Laos, making it the most bombed country per capita in the world. To this day, approximately 80 million unexploded ordinances remain in Laos. America’s Secret War on Laos continues to impact the livelihood and well-being of Laotian citizens today, yet there has been little conversation regarding what justice looks like for these people. In my thesis, I argue that the U.S. is culpable for wartime damage to Laos, that there is both legal and moral justification for transitional justice in the region and that reparations are the most appropriate transitional justice mechanism. My research seeks to answer the question: Based on the material needs of the Laotian people, what model of reparations is most appropriate and feasible? In other words, what form should these reparations take, to whom should they be directed, and how should they be administered? Through interviews with Laotian citizens, I hope to provide a snapshot of the war's continued impact on the Laotian people and their visions of justice and reparation for the Secret War. My interviews inform the design of a comprehensive model of reparations specifically tailored to address the needs of the Laotian people as they pertain to the lasting consequences of the war. I also evaluate the political feasibility of reparations through a comparative analysis of reparations implementation in other international case studies. Ultimately, I hope to establish a design precedent that encourages the pursuit of ambitious justice processes, especially for those peoples who continue to struggle against imperialism and its enduring impact.
Description
| Type of resource | text |
|---|---|
| Publication date | July 19, 2023; June 9, 2023 |
Creators/Contributors
| Author | Phagnasay Le, Gwyneth |
|---|---|
| Advisor | Cohen, David |
Subjects
| Subject | Reparations for historical injustices |
|---|---|
| Subject | Imperialism |
| Subject | Laos |
| Subject | Vietnam (Democratic Republic) |
| Subject | Cambodia |
| Subject | Secret War |
| Subject | Vietnam War (1961-1975) |
| Subject | Indochinese War (1946-1954) |
| Subject | Laotian Civil War |
| Subject | Laotian Americans |
| Subject | Laotian Americans > Cultural assimilation |
| Subject | Laotian Americans > Political activity |
| Subject | Laotians > Social conditions |
| Subject | Southeast Asia |
| Subject | Transitional justice |
| Subject | International Center for Transitional Justice |
| Subject | Decolonization |
| Subject | Solidarity |
| Subject | International Solidarity Movement |
| Genre | Text |
| Genre | Thesis |
Bibliographic information
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- This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license (CC BY).
Preferred citation
- Preferred citation
- Phagnasay Le, G. (2023). The Cost of Imperialism: Designing a Model of Reparations to Laos from the U.S. for the Secret War Bombing . Stanford Digital Repository. Available at https://purl.stanford.edu/ck179js6583. https://doi.org/10.25740/ck179js6583.
Collection
Stanford University, Program in International Relations, Honors Theses
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- g1457@stanford.edu
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