Vietnam's booming textile and clothing industry, a global powerhouse, conceals a profound struggle for its ethnic minority communities. While the nation thrives on global exports, these communities navigate a delicate, often perilous, balance between economic opportunity and the preservation of their cultural heritage. This research critically examines how globalization has reshaped Vietnam's ethnic minority textiles and their struggle to harness global forces for resilience. Utilizing a qualitative ethnographic approach, the study combines in-depth interviews, narrative inquiry, document analysis, observations, and visual data across six diverse provinces to capture insider experiences. Findings reveal expanded economic opportunities (income, market access, livelihood diversification) yet highlight persistent challenges: economic pressures, entrepreneurial barriers, and vulnerabilities in exercising agency. Socio-cultural dynamics demonstrate artisans' fierce assertion of agency to preserve heritage amidst threats from overcommercialization, media, touristification, and climate change. Political factors underscore gaps in support and legal protection shaping their opportunities. To address these complex challenges, the research proposes a robust five-principle policy framework for building resilience, designed to foster adaptive governance, empower human capital, and champion heritage-first sustainable economies. This framework underscores the urgent need for integrated support to maintain cultural identity and economic vitality, ensuring their traditions do not become globalization's unintended casualties.

Authors:
Anupama Devendrakumar, Vin University, Vietnam

About the Presenter(s)
Dr. Anupama Devendrakumar is currently a Senior Lecturer of Global Political Economy at the College of Arts and Sciences, VinUniversity, Vietnam.

Connect on Linkedin
https://www.linkedin.com/in/anupama-devendrakumar-ph-d-521ab997/

See this presentation on the full schedule – Thursday Schedule

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