Vietnam is one of the most dynamic countries in the Asia Pacific region. Its rapid and sustained economic growth is matched only by the effervescence of its contemporary social and cultural landscapes. These unexpectedly positive developments are occurring in a land of great antiquity, with a long and conflicted history. A country once embroiled in war and revolutionary upheavals is reaping the benefits of a lengthy peace to re-engage the world, transform its institutions, redefine its identity, and and rediscover its past.  This course provides an introduction to Vietnam's history and contemporary society, through the lens provided by the disciplines of archaeology, history, anthropology, economics and politics. By reviewing key debates in scholarship on Vietnam, students will learn to think critically and contextually about one of the important countries in the Asia-Pacific region. Themes to be addressed include: Vietnam in regional context; relations with China; colonialism, revolution and the wars; socio-economic reform; politics and international relations; globalisation and cultural identity; and ethnic and religious complexity. 

Learning Outcomes

 Students who complete this course will be able to:

1. Distinguish the main periods in the history of Vietnam dating from prehistoric times

2. Demonstrate a critical and contextual understanding of aspects of Vietnam’s contemporary economy, politics, society and culture

3. Situate historical events and contemporary trends in local, regional and global context

4. Critically analyse major tropes and assumptions that have framed the study of Vietnam

5. Provide an in-depth account of one or more key scholarly debates about Vietnamese history and society

6. Understand the contributions made by different disciplines to the study of Vietnam

Two essays (totalling 80%), Tutorial participation (20%). Graduate students attend joint classes with undergraduates but may expect more rigorous assessment and additional assignment work, tailored to the graduate students’ interests.

Permission of coordinator

Bill Hayton. 2010. Vietnam: Rising Dragon. New Haven: Yale University Press.

Hy Van Luong. 2003. Postwar Vietnam: Dynamics of a Transforming Society. Singapore: Institute of Southeast Asian Studies.

Neil Jamieson. 1993. Understanding Vietnam. Berkeley: University of California Press.