| This thesis is about conflict in the Cambodian community in Lowell, Massachusetts. This conflict resolution study of the Trairatanaram conflict looks at issues that have been known to the Cambodian community for many years. My basic premise asks: Is the conflict related to the understanding and practice of Buddhism in the community or to politics back home in Cambodia? As a Cambodian native having lived in this community for over 26 years, my research focused on studying the cause of the present conflict and discussing how it was dealt with and how it ended.;My research method used oral history using sound recording and taking written notes when interviewees were unwilling to be recorded. To get the in-depth stories, I started with casual talk that led to interviewees expressing heartfelt feelings.;My findings are that the root cause of conflict had nothing to do with Buddhist theory or practice, but cultural differences and confusion in the new country and how the Cambodians tried to adapt their traditions to Lowell may have contributed to the problem. In addition, some individual personal greed, the involvement of a native Cambodian political party's agenda, and Cambodian personality traits caused this conflict to become rigid and inflexible.;The Cambodian community also learned that using litigation to solve this problem was very costly and weakened community financial resources. |
