ABSTRACT
Ethnic minorities comprise a small but politically significant percentage of Vietnam’s population. Numerous policies have been directed at these communities throughout the country’s modern history, often to bring them more in line with majority cultural standards or to achieve parity in “economic development”. This chapter outlines a history of policies directed at ethnic minorities and discusses the outcomes of different approaches that have been tried over the years, including strictly assimilationist approaches, shifts to focus on “cultural preservation”, and policies driven by attention to poverty and economic quality of life. Discussions from within minority communities on the effectiveness of these policies provide an anthropological perspective on social change among these groups. Unlike other countries in the region, Vietnam does not have a strong indigenous rights movement, and various reasons for and implications of this are discussed. The chapter concludes by noting new venues, particularly in social media, where minorities are forming virtual communities and what the implications of this might be for expanded formal legal and political rights for minorities.
