ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the multiple and often conflicting representations of Vietnamese women in history, folklore and pop culture. Expectations of women in this culture prioritises motherhood and marriage as social accomplishments. Consequently, the domestic sphere is where Vietnamese women continue to accrue significant social and cultural capital. The role of the Women’s Union in entrenching gender norms is discussed. Family obligations, typically the domain of women, were discussed by both men and women as reasons why women were less suited for a policing career, although there were exceptions. In this context, cultural capital for women police can come in different forms in Vietnam compared to those identified in previous international studies and manifests in different institutionalised practices (e.g., a ceiling quota of 15% for the recruitment of women police).
