Social Inequality in Vietnam and the Challenges to Reform
Reviews
"After nearly two decades of reform, Vietnam today enjoys relatively fast and steady economic growth. However, an apparent, less-desired effect of the market economy in Vietnam has been social inequality, which is visibly on the rise but has been partially overlooked by social scientists and insufficiently addressed by the socialist state and aid agencies. [This volume] provides insightful reading, particularly as it offers viewpoints from both local Vietnamese and overseas scholars" (IIAS Newsletter).
"The studies in this valuable, excellent collection were initially presented at the Australian National University's annual Vietnam Update forum (November 2003). This book offers a well-researched, realistic assessment of social differentiation, social conflict and social inequality in Vietnam today. I am pleased to recommend it highly for all advanced undergraduates and MA students interested in the economic reform movement in communist states" (Aseasuk News).
About the publication
Social inequalities have grown during Vietnams transition to a market-based economy, even as average incomes have increased and the number of people living in poverty has lessened. Do widening social rifts - between rich and poor, urban and rural communities and along regional, gender and ethnic lines - have the potential to undermine Vietnams liberal reforms and its integration with its region? How has the socialist state responded to these challenges?
Based on research and analysis of recent conditions, Social Inequality in Vietnam and the Challenges to Reform offers detailed descriptions of disparities in income, spatial access, gender, ethnicity and status, addressing their causes and consequences. The eleven chapters in this book illustrate the changing ways in which people have accumulated wealth, social and cultural capital in Vietnams move from a socialist to a market-oriented society. They assemble data from the Northern Uplands to the Mekong delta to explore geographic variability in patterns of social differentiation. Offering critical insights into state policy, the chapters assess the adequacy of government responses and outline local responses and informal solutions to social disadvantage.
This book features a diverse mix of theoretical and methodological approaches and bridges some of the disciplinary and institutional divides that have impeded understanding of inequality in Vietnam. The wide range of themes it covers will make it a sought-after resource for those interested in contemporary Vietnam and the effects of liberal reforms, globalization and post-socialist development strategies.
Based on research and analysis of recent conditions, Social Inequality in Vietnam and the Challenges to Reform offers detailed descriptions of disparities in income, spatial access, gender, ethnicity and status, addressing their causes and consequences. The eleven chapters in this book illustrate the changing ways in which people have accumulated wealth, social and cultural capital in Vietnams move from a socialist to a market-oriented society. They assemble data from the Northern Uplands to the Mekong delta to explore geographic variability in patterns of social differentiation. Offering critical insights into state policy, the chapters assess the adequacy of government responses and outline local responses and informal solutions to social disadvantage.
This book features a diverse mix of theoretical and methodological approaches and bridges some of the disciplinary and institutional divides that have impeded understanding of inequality in Vietnam. The wide range of themes it covers will make it a sought-after resource for those interested in contemporary Vietnam and the effects of liberal reforms, globalization and post-socialist development strategies.
Contents
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Social Inequality in Vietnam and the Challenges to Reform
[Whole Publication, ISBN: 9789812305954] -
Preliminary pages
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Introduction: Social Inequality in a Socialist State, by Philip Taylor, author
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1. Vietnams Recent Political Developments, by David Koh Wee Hock, author
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2. Vietnams Recent Economic Reforms and Developments: Achievements, Paradoxes, and Challenges, by Vo Tri Thanh, Pham Hoang Ha, authors
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3. Behind the Numbers: Social Mobility, Regional Disparities, and New Trajectories of Development in Rural Vietnam, by Steffanie Scott, Truong Thi Kim Chuyen, authors
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4. From Collectivization to Globalization: Social Differentiation in a Muong Ethnic Community of Vietnam, by Tran Thi Thu Trang, author
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5. Political Capital, Human Capital, and Inter-generational Occupational Mobility in Northern Vietnam, by Jee Young Kim, author
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6. Social Disparities in Vietnam: The Case of Poverty Reduction and Educational Attainment, by Vu Quoc Ngu, author
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7. Redressing Disadvantage or Re-arranging Inequality?Development Interventions and Local Responses in the Mekong Delta, by Philip Taylor, author
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8. The Politics of Land: Inequality in Land Access and Local Conflicts in the Red River Delta since Decollectivization, by Nguyen Van Suu, author
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9. Female Garment Workers: The New Young Volunteers in Vietnams Modernization, by Nghiem Lien Huong, author
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10. Class, Nation, and Text: The Representation of Peasants in Vietnamese Literature, by Montira Rato, author
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11. Leisure and Social Mobility in Ho Chi Minh City, by Catherine Earl, author
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Index
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About the Contributors
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Publications in the Vietnam Update Series
