Synopses & Reviews
Synopsis
Vietnam is one of Southeast Asia's most dynamic but least understood countries, and interest in the country has surged in recent years. The Routledge Handbook of Contemporary Vietnam is a comprehensive resource that looks at the social, political, economic and cultural aspects of Vietnam today. Following an introduction that highlights major changes that have unfolded in the country in the last two decades, the book is divided into 4 thematic parts:
- Domestic Politics
- Economy
- Social institutions and social change
- Culture and social change
In the political field, chapters address key developments in Vietnam's mainline political institutions, from the Communist Party and the country's formally-representative system of councils and assemblies, to the role of the military and public security. It also looks at the rise of political competition that has unfolded in the country. In the economic section, the Handbook probes the development and transformation of Vietnam's economic institutions and its implications with respect to patterns of economic growth, industrialization and agrarian change. Parts 3 and 4 discuss the profound changes that Vietnam has experienced across all major social fields, including the education, health and legal sectors, the mass media, family life, gender and ethnic relations, and key media and artistic fields.
Written by an international team of scholars, the Handbook provides a cutting edge analysis on Vietnam's rapidly-changing engagement with the world. It is an invaluable interdisciplinary reference book of interest to students and academics of Southeast Asian Studies, as well as policymakers, analysts and anyone wishing to learn more about contemporary Vietnam.
Synopsis
The Routledge Handbook of Contemporary Vietnam is a comprehensive resource exploring social, political, economic, and cultural aspects of Vietnam, one of contemporary Asia's most dynamic but least understood countries. Following an introduction that highlights major changes that have unfolded in Vietnam over the past three decades, the volume is organised into four thematic parts:
- Politics
- Economy
- Social life and institutions
- Cultures in Motion
Part one address key aspects of Vietnam's politics, from the role of the Communist Party of Vietnam in shaping the country's institutional evolution to continuity and change in patterns of socio-political organisation, political expression, state repression, diplomatic relations, and human rights. Part two assesses the transformation of Vietnam's economy, addressing patterns of economic growth, investment and trade, the role of the state in the economy, and other economic aspects of social life. Parts three and four examine developments across a variety of social and cultural fields, through chapters on themes including welfare, inequality, social policy, urbanization, the environment and society, gender, ethnicity, the family, cuisine, art, mass media, and the politics of remembrance.
Featuring 38 essays by leading Vietnam scholars from around the world, this book provides a cutting-edge analysis of Vietnam's transformation and changing engagement with the world. It is an invaluable interdisciplinary reference work of interest to students and academics of Southeast Asian Studies, as well as policymakers, analysts and anyone wishing to learn more about contemporary Vietnam.