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Thirty years of Doi Moi in the museum: Changing representations of development in late-socialist Vietnam

Were, Graeme

Authors

Graeme Were



Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to describe an exhibition that celebrated 30 years of reform in the Vietnamese National Museum of History, which opened in 2016. It contributes to anthropological understandings of the way exhibitions create new forms of cultural heritage, and so operate as a kind of technology of governance for legitimising state transformations that seek to celebrate neoliberal ideologies and the rise of the individual. Design/methodology/approach: Using an ethnographic methodology, it explores some of the behind-the-scenes decisions involved in producing a narrative of national development since the Doi Moi reforms of 1986. Findings: In analysing how imported memory approaches were innovatively employed alongside conventional historical facts, this paper reveals ways in which old revolutionary narratives make way for expansive and more acceptable concepts of development that embrace well-being and quality of life as well as national achievements. Originality/value: This research is based on original ethnographic research conducted by the author and contributes to an emerging field of museum and heritage studies in East and South-East Asia.

Citation

Were, G. (2019). Thirty years of Doi Moi in the museum: Changing representations of development in late-socialist Vietnam. Asian Education and Development Studies, 8(4), 463-473. https://doi.org/10.1108/AEDS-02-2018-0051

Journal Article Type Article
Publication Date Jun 1, 2019
Deposit Date Oct 8, 2024
Journal Asian Education and Development Studies
Electronic ISSN 2046-3162
Publisher Emerald
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 8
Issue 4
Pages 463-473
DOI https://doi.org/10.1108/AEDS-02-2018-0051
Keywords Cultural heritage, Development, Museum, Vietnam
Publisher URL https://research-information.bris.ac.uk/en/publications/98b5f192-0f77-44d3-af8b-e202deff3deb
Related Public URLs https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/AEDS-02-2018-0051/full/html