Lucy West, a PhD candidate and 2015 recipient of the GAI Conference and Travel Grant for HDR students, recently returned from 6 weeks fieldwork in Cambodia. The purpose of this trip was to collect primary data for her thesis which examines the challenges to the rule of law in post-transitional Cambodia. During this period Lucy conducted interviews with members of civil society, the current government and the main opposition party, and legal professionals working in the capital Phnom Penh. A highlight of Lucy’s fieldwork was the chance to interview Council of Ministers spokesman His Excellency Mr Phay Siphan on the challenges to ensuring judicial independence and accountability in Cambodia.

During this time Lucy also had the opportunity to engage with local research institutes (Centre for Khmer Studies) and think tanks (Cambodia Development Resource Institute) where she was provided with welcome feedback on her research and new connections for the future.

As part of her trip Lucy also attended the 9th Asian Political and International Studies Association Congress held in Phnom Penh (11-12 September) where she delivered a paper on her findings to date. The paper, “The Limits to Operationalising the Rule of Law – Transitional Justice and Judicial Independence, Lessons from Cambodia”, was delivered to attending scholars and local practitioners and was well suited to this year’s theme which looked toward the future of Asia, the challenges it faces and governance agendas.