Biography
I am Bhikkhu Kai Sophea, a Theravada Buddhist monk. I was born and ordained as a novice in Cambodia in the aftermath of the civil war, shaped by the Cold War and Vietnam War. My journey has taken me across various countries in Southeast Asia, where I have lived and pursued my education. In the United States, I work closely with Cambodian monastic and diasporic communities both nationwide and beyond. With this background, my research interests focus on the revival of religious and traditional beliefs. Rather than examining the influence of national political structures and the impact of the Cold War on religious practices and institutions, I aim to explore how Buddhist ethics and traditional norms, viewed from a grassroots perspective, have shaped social structures and resettlement abroad during unprecedented times.
Education
M.A, Southeast Asian Studies, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 2024
B.A, Mahayana Studies, Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalai University (Mahapanyavidyalai), 2009
Field
- Southeast Asian History
MA Title
- “The Cambodian Buddhist Revival in 1979: Local understandings of Gratitude and Filial Piety in the Restoration of Buddhism”
Professional Affiliations
- Founding member of The Cambodian Buddhist Monk Society in U.S.A.