Course Description: Vietnam today is experiencing tremendous change: economic development, urbanization, increasing consumerism, religious revivals, and transformations in family relationships. As Vietnamese face the future, they must also grapple with the past, particularly a 20th century marked by colonialism, revolution, war, and socialism. How are Vietnamese trying to balance change with preservation of traditional values and social structures? How can anthropologists make sense of Vietnamese culture and society today?

This course will explore the complexities of Vietnam in the 21st century and the enduring themes of its society and culture. Using a combination of literature, historical studies, and contemporary accounts by anthropologists, we will examine Vietnamese family organization, village society, gender relations, cultural values, and religion. We will also look at Vietnam's transformation under socialism, the legacy of war, changing gender roles today, and how a current religious revival reveals tensions between religion, morality, the economy, and the state.

Writing Assignments

Study Guide Questions for Readings

Announcements: (will be posted here as necessary)

For more information, contact:  aleshkow@holycross.edu