VNUHCM Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities

The Vietnam and the United States non-traditional security cooperation in the maritime capability buidling for Vietnam (2009-2021)

Thanh Cam Hoang — 2024-03-31

The bilateral relations between Vietnam and the United States since the end of the Vietnam War in 1975 have undergone many drastic changes and development. Looking back at the development of relations between the two countries, one of the areas contributing to the increased strategic nature of the relations is the non-traditional security cooperation. By delving into the realms of the non-traditional security, both countries enhance their diplomatic, political, and strategic proximity in general. This article examines the reasons why Vietnam and the United States have promoted the non-traditional security cooperation, specifically in maritime, over the past 10 years. To explain this, the article considers two factors. First, from the perspective of the realist theory of “covert balancing”, it is how big countries approach small countries and in parallel, small countries increase their capacity. At the same time, it is a strategic calculation when Vietnam and the United States promote the non-traditional security cooperation. Enhancing cooperation in this area keeps the bilateral relations at a low-key level but still promotes the strategic aspect of cooperation. From this perspective, the second factor is that Vietnam strategically leverages this collaboration to bolster maritime capabilities, particularly in the areas contributing to the defense capacity growth during the period spanning 2009 to 2021.

Intention to have children of young couples in Ho Chi Minh City – the case study in Thu Duc City and Binh Chanh District

Trân Gia Phạm — 2024-03-10

The article aims to investigate the intention to have children in the next 3 years of young couples in Ho Chi Minh City along with the factors affecting their intention to have children. The research orientation is the theory of planned behavior applying in the fertility intention by Ajzen I and Klobas J. The sample size includes 120 young couples (60 men and 60 women), who have no children and have one child in Thu Duc City (directly under Ho Chi Minh City) and Binh Chanh District. The information collection tools are structured questionnaires and in-depth interviews. The analytical methods used in this study are the descriptive statistics, the bivariate correlation analysis, and the binary logistic regression. The research findings show that young couples agree with the norm of having more children in the future, have a positive attitude towards having children, but their ability to control having children is limited. Majority of young couples want to delay childbirth and do not intend to have children in the next 3 years. Attitudes towards having children and professional work are the strongest predictors of childbearing. Based on the research findings, the article proposes the functional agencies need to issue policies to create favorable conditions for young couples to have children.

The Vietnam Communist Party's views on higher education through the 8th to 13th National Party Congresses

Mẫn Doãn Trương — 2024-03-31

After overcoming the economic crisis in 1996, Vietnam’s higher education has transformed and achieved remarkable successes, greatly contributing to raising the position of our country's higher education in the world as well as to the process of industrialization, modernization, and international integration. To gain these achievements, it is thanks to the thorough leadership of the Vietnam Communist Party and State with many reasonable, timely, and decisive guidelines and perspectives. Based on the reality of Vietnam’s higher education during the period of industrialization, modernization, and international integration, this study clarifies the Vietnam Communist Party's role in higher education in each period through analyzing the views related to higher education at the 8th to 13th National Congresses of the Vietnam Communist Party (hereinafter referred to as the Congress). To achieve the purpose of the research, the author uses the scientific literature review method as the main method. Besides, the author also uses the methods of analysis -synthesis, interpretation, and comparison. The results of the study show that there is a clear development in the Vietnam Communist Party's awareness of the role of higher education in relation to the world and domestic situations during the periods of industrialization, modernization, and international integration. However, there are also difficulties and challenges in implementing the above guidelines. Accordingly, the author has made recommendations to further enhance the role of Vietnam’s higher education.

Human resources for urban administration at state management agencies in Ho Chi Minh City: Imperatives and solutions

Hạ Tấn Phạm — 2024-03-31

Urban management confronts various challenges posed by the escalating urbanization process unfolding throughout the entire nation. These challenges encompass population and housing issues, environmental governance, administrative management, and social security. In order to attain equilibrium amidst these issues, urban areas necessitate an adept workforce equipped with interdisciplinary knowledge to effectively address the multifaceted concerns encountered in urban settings. This paper concentrates on a comprehensive analysis of the prevailing state of competency fulfillment and the requisites for human resources in the domain of state administration related to urban areas in Ho Chi Minh City. The findings reveal that the existing human resource pool engaged in urban management in Ho Chi Minh City exhibits a commendable level of proficiency. However, ongoing self-training and advanced professional development remain indispensable for meeting occupational demands. There persists a scarcity of human resources in certain specialized sectors. Subsequently, given the swift evolution of the urban landscape encompassing socio-economic development, spatial expansion, and urban infrastructure, Ho Chi Minh City necessitates a substantial workforce for proficient urban management in the coming years. To foster professional management practices and yield optimal outcomes, it is imperative to formulate a specialized Urban Management curriculum catering to the distinctive requirements of Ho Chi Minh City, providing a steady stream of capable human resources for urban management endeavors in Ho Chi Minh City and the neighboring southern provinces and cities.

The aesthetics of Wabi in the work Thousand Cranes by Kawabata Yasunari

Mi Tra Ngo — 2024-03-10

Wabi is one of significant aesthetic categories that embody the essence of Japanese beauty. Wabi finds expression in various art forms, including the Tea ceremony, architecture, fine arts, and literature. The history of Wabi is closely intertwined with shifts in aesthetic thought and practice in Japanese art and everyday life in Japan. Kawabata Yasunari, the first Japanese writer to win the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1968, was deeply influenced by the spirit of Wabi, which he masterfully conveyed in his works, particularly in Thousand Cranes, one of the three Nobel prize-winning works. In previous studies on Thousand Cranes in Vietnam, the focus has primarily been on exploring themes such as mono no aware, sexuality, and existentialism. Surprisingly, there has been a lack of research discussing Wabi as the central theme of this work. This article gives a basic overview of Wabi, and then from the perspective of Wabi aesthetics, we approach the work Thousand Cranes by Kawabata Yasunari, which mourns the decline of the Tea ceremony, an important form of art rooted in the core spirit of Wabi. The article utilizes the theory of Wabi to elucidate the reasons behind the decadence of the Tea ceremony depicted in Thousand Cranes. Additionally, we also explore the presence of Wabi's beauty throughout the work.

Fishing methods of Can Gio fishermen: tradition and transformation

Dung Van Pham — 2024-03-30

Can Gio is the only coastal district in Ho Chi Minh City, where its natural conditions are favorable for fishing by a wide range of methods and gears. Therefore, from its ancient days, in addition to agricultural activities, fishing became a means of livelihood for many households in Can Gio. In this article, we have deployed the field research method to study common fishing gears frequently used by fishermen in Can Gio district in the past and present to catch fish in “shallow water and deep water”, specifically, stow nets, other typical nets, hooks and lines, types of rakes, etc. Some fishing gears are still used by Can Gio fishermen today, but have changed adapting to the current conditions, especially in terms of crafting materials as well as fishing areas. The research on the change in fishing gears in Can Gio not only focuses on how fish are caught but also reflects the local fishermen community’s flexible adaptation through their fishing over time. More importantly, this greatly contributes to maintaining and fostering the traditional value of fishing in Can Gio district not only at the present time but also in the future.

The impacts of ethnicity policy on the Ruc community in the western mountains of Quang Binh province

Long Tan Dang Tran — 2024-03-31

For many past years, the government of Vietnam has always paid special attention to and created favorable conditions for promoting economic, cultural, and social development for all ethnic groups, especially ethnic minorities in mountainous areas. Ruc people are a local group of the Chut ethnic group, residing in the western mountains of Quang Binh province. This ethnic group has changed markedly thanks to the implementation of developmental policies since they were discovered and settled in villages. Using the methods of in-depth interviews and participatory observations conducted through surveys in the community, with the theoretical approach to poststructuralism emphasizing the power and discourse of the State through the implementation of developmental policies to the Ruc community. The article focuses on presenting the changes within the Ruc community under the impact of various policies in the fields, including infrastructure, social welfare, crop cultivation and livestock farming, and the development of cultural, educational, and healthcare aspects of life. In addition, the article also discusses the effectiveness of policy enforcement. To enable the Ruc community to further develop in the current context, we propose several solutions to preserve and promote the economic and socio-cultural values of the Ruc ethnic group.