The Socialist Republic of Vietnam and the Diasporic Gift
Aid transfers are highly developed in Vietnamese society. They take place not only within national borders but also abroad. The Vietnamese in the diaspora look towards their homeland where they have family and cultural ties. Whether out of moral obligation, self-interest, recognition or patriotism,...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Université de Provence
2021-06-01
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| Series: | Moussons |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://journals.openedition.org/moussons/8784 |
| _version_ | 1818539219741573120 |
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| author | Christophe Vigne |
| author_facet | Christophe Vigne |
| author_sort | Christophe Vigne |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Aid transfers are highly developed in Vietnamese society. They take place not only within national borders but also abroad. The Vietnamese in the diaspora look towards their homeland where they have family and cultural ties. Whether out of moral obligation, self-interest, recognition or patriotism, most send gifts and currency (remittances and investments) homewards. In the post-war decade (1975-1985), diasporic generosity mainly worked by sending packets to improve the recipients’ standard of living, who were back then plagued by extreme poverty. In the following years, Vietnam’s opening up to globalization led to diversified generosity channels, mostly financial transfers. Initially obstructed by ideological principles, the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (SRV) engaged with the diaspora to channel their generosity towards its economic goals and nation-building. It thus interfered with personal networks and the complex social logic that structures the gifting culture in order to give it a political dimension. By analysing the diversity and complexity of the gifting culture and its evolutions, this article shows how these transfers go beyond the sole economic sphere but actually shape the imagination, redefine the relationship between the gifting and the gifted, and sheds light onto the ambiguity of party-state and diaspora relations. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-11T21:39:10Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-48fab4565b38466c8dea8c2185bde8b3 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1620-3224 2262-8363 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-11T21:39:10Z |
| publishDate | 2021-06-01 |
| publisher | Université de Provence |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Moussons |
| spelling | doaj.art-48fab4565b38466c8dea8c2185bde8b32022-12-22T00:49:53ZengUniversité de ProvenceMoussons1620-32242262-83632021-06-013710.4000/moussons.8784The Socialist Republic of Vietnam and the Diasporic GiftChristophe Vigne Aid transfers are highly developed in Vietnamese society. They take place not only within national borders but also abroad. The Vietnamese in the diaspora look towards their homeland where they have family and cultural ties. Whether out of moral obligation, self-interest, recognition or patriotism, most send gifts and currency (remittances and investments) homewards. In the post-war decade (1975-1985), diasporic generosity mainly worked by sending packets to improve the recipients’ standard of living, who were back then plagued by extreme poverty. In the following years, Vietnam’s opening up to globalization led to diversified generosity channels, mostly financial transfers. Initially obstructed by ideological principles, the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (SRV) engaged with the diaspora to channel their generosity towards its economic goals and nation-building. It thus interfered with personal networks and the complex social logic that structures the gifting culture in order to give it a political dimension. By analysing the diversity and complexity of the gifting culture and its evolutions, this article shows how these transfers go beyond the sole economic sphere but actually shape the imagination, redefine the relationship between the gifting and the gifted, and sheds light onto the ambiguity of party-state and diaspora relations.http://journals.openedition.org/moussons/8784Việt KiềudiasporaVietnamVietnamese party-stategifting culturecurrency |
| spellingShingle | Christophe Vigne The Socialist Republic of Vietnam and the Diasporic Gift Moussons Việt Kiều diaspora Vietnam Vietnamese party-state gifting culture currency |
| title | The Socialist Republic of Vietnam and the Diasporic Gift |
| title_full | The Socialist Republic of Vietnam and the Diasporic Gift |
| title_fullStr | The Socialist Republic of Vietnam and the Diasporic Gift |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Socialist Republic of Vietnam and the Diasporic Gift |
| title_short | The Socialist Republic of Vietnam and the Diasporic Gift |
| title_sort | socialist republic of vietnam and the diasporic gift |
| topic | Việt Kiều diaspora Vietnam Vietnamese party-state gifting culture currency |
| url | http://journals.openedition.org/moussons/8784 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT christophevigne thesocialistrepublicofvietnamandthediasporicgift AT christophevigne socialistrepublicofvietnamandthediasporicgift |