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How do Western cultures affect Vietnamese family life?
Introduction
As Vietnamese always say“Gia đình là tế bào của xã hội” [“Family is the cell of the
society”], Vietnamese family plays an important role in each being’s development, which then
leads to the development of the whole society. Family carries and enhances traditions through
generations, respecting the culture, and preserving the national charater. Vietnamese family
through time has been influenced by different cultures and religions to become tradition and
cannot be separated from the culture, nation and country of Vietnam.
Since 1986, when the communist government of Vietnaminitiated the economic reforms
named“Đổi Mới”,encouraging “family planning, modernization, individualism and
westernization” (Dean)1,the Vietnamese familyhasbeen affected on all aspects, thus has come
under intense pressure of diminishing the traditional lifestyle. Together with other social
changes, Đổi Mớihas lead to dramatically increasing migration to urban areas, especially the
younger generationswho migrate either voluntarily or are sent out by the family to gain higher
education or to earn a living for the family. This hasled to many concerns in the influences on
1Dean, Peter. “Focus study: Family life in Vietnam”. Georges River College, Oatley Senior
Campus. Nd.

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traditional family life, the change from extended to nuclear familyas well as the changes in
women’s role in the society.
The survey conducted received responses from 30 people of three different age groups:
56.7% less than 20 years old, 33.3% between 20 and 60, and 10% older than 60 years old. All
of the answerers arefromKinh i.e. the most populous ethnic minority group in Vietnam, who
are now studying and working either in Ho Chi Minh City or in a Western country. Regarding
the effects of Western cultures on Vietnamese family life, 47% of them believe that they are
somewhat influential and somewhat positive; no one said that they had seen no
effectsoccurring. The most common change is the more modern and freer thoughtsas a result of
the gradual disappearance of the traditional frameworkof household rules that, according to
them, do not seem to be very appropriate to the current society. Similarly, the answerers also
claimed that nowadays women’s role has changed somewhat but overall was still the same;
47% thinkthat these changes are somewhat positive for women since they are now more
complete for not only being housewives, but alsobeinginvolved in social work. Besides, other
interviews were carried out with 16 people of the same age groups, 62.5% (10 out of 16) of
them are of families that migrated from other parts of Vietnam such as Haiphong, Hanoi, Soc
Trangetc. either before or afew years after their births.The feedbackisbased on the same idea of
the coexistence between the old traditionsand the new points of view of the young generations;
mostinterviewees think that all changes are both positive and negative.

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Traditional Vietnamese Family Life
The family unit has been the foundation of Vietnamese society and culture for
thousands of year. Traditional Vietnamese family is largely affected by Confucianism due to a
long time of being dominated by the Chinese.Confucianism is a complex Chinese ethical and
philosophical system that influenced the culture and history of East Asia, thus it also plays an
important part in the traditional Vietnamese cultures and moral standards. According to
professor Trần Đình Hượu, a Confucian scholar,“Confucianism appreciates the origin which is
the family. Building a united family is not only for oneself or other family members, but also
important to build the society.”(Trần)
Structure, Roles and Family Relationships
The structure of the basic Vietnamese family unit is very complicated in terms
ofextended family, which is, according to Ronald Cima,“the dominant family structure that
includes three or four generations consisting of grandparents, father and mother, children and
grandchildren, all living under the same roof”(Cima). A family is considered prosperous when
there are many descendants, thus in the past people were very proud of a dense but harmonious
family. Everyone shares any kind of prosperity or financial gain for the security and welfare of

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the group. However, since conflicts can easily occur in a large family, Confucianism imposes
rites based on which members behave in order to maintain the peace and good among family
relationships. As a result, “gia đình nề nếp” or“gia đình lễ nghĩa” [a respectable family] is
formed.
All members of the household live under the authority of the oldest male, and all
contribute to the income of the family. The father’s role is the head and the “pillar” of the
family: he’s the one who controls and officially makes decisions, yethemust always consult the
grandparents before doing anything because they have lived longand thus are wise and
experienced; this is a way to show respect towards older members, who also have a lot of
power, of the family. Traditionally, there is an expression “Dâu con rể khách”[the daughter-in-
law is of the family,the son-in-law is a stranger]. Hence if a family has many daughters, it’s
considered unfortunate because the family will lose a member when she’s married. The wife’s
main tasks are doing chores, taking care of the husband and children as well as the parents-in-
law. The oldest son is very important, as he will become the next inheritor of the family who is
responsible to bringhonor to his ancestors.
Hierarchy is a part of “lễ nghĩa”[respectability] in the traditional family. Confucianism
mentions three moral relationships: father-offspring, husband-wife and siblings. In each of
those, there are superior and subordinate roles, meaning the one below must comply to the one
above.People in Vietnamese society are evaluated through the parents: a good person is of
educated parents, a spoiled child has irresponsible parents; for this reason Vietnamese parents
tend to apply strict parenting to educate their children.
Principles and Values

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One of the four fundamental principles of Vietnamese culture is allegiance to the
family2, which is also considered the most important factor because “the family is the centre of
the individuals’ existence as well as the foundation of Vietnamese society.” (Dean)1. The whole
family is seen as a single unit, which brings forward the idea of collective identity. Whatever
one member achieves, it belongs to the family, not that individual. With the common
expression “một giọt máu đào hơn ao nước lã” [blood is thicker than water], family ties have
been given a higher position and everyone thinks of his or her family firstly before doing
anything. Professor Nguyễn Văn Canh of Stanford University also supports this idea:
One being represents his family’s name so any behavior that either brings
reputation or disgrace will affect the whole family. He is willing to stand
all difficulties for the better of other members, especially for the older
ones; people are brought up to identify themselves with and take care of
the family rather than follow individualism. (Nguyễn)3
Traditional family values are accomplished by the fulfillment of traditional roles, not
only the parental role, but also the children’s role in the family. Since the family is the foremost
institution for the education of children, the concept of filial piety is constituted: children are
taught to obey and respect their parents, as a way to be thankful for the debt of birth, their
upbringing and education.People believe that “the teaching of filial piety is preparation for
serving the ruler of the state” (Zeng Zi Chapter IX)4,so disobedience can result in any physical
punishment from parents, which is totallyacceptable in the Vietnamese tradition.Professor
2 Four fundamental principles or values of Vietnamese culture: allegiance to the family,
yearning for a good name, love of learning, respect for other people (Vietnamese Culture and
Tradition Editors)
3Nguyễn, Văn Canh. “Gia đình truyền thống Việt Nam(Traditional Vietnamese Family).”Ủy
ban mục vụ gia đình. N.d.
<http://www.ubmvgiadinh.org/?open=contents&display=2&id=1605>
4Zeng, Zi. Great Learning. Trans. Ezra Pound. University of Washington Book Store. 1970.
Great Learning is one of the “Four Books”, Chinese classic texts illustrating the core value and
belief systems in Confucianism.

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Breeman stated that"harsh discipline and beatings did not constitute abuse of a child, but its
reverse: loving care, concern and attention"(Vietnamese Culture and Tradition Editors). As a
part of collective identity, children sacrifice for parents, support and take good care of them in
their old age. The compensation continues even after the deaths of the parents through carrying
out traditions and worshiping ancestors. Such practice will then be continued by later
generations; thus it’s very easy to see many people in rural areas refuse to leave their
hometown because of this duty. Due to these strict rules and standards, any Vietnamese person
who fails to fulfillhis or her responsibility will be excluded from the family, and sometimes, the
community.
Rural – Urban Migration
The adoption of Đổi Mới has created many opportunities for the investment and
development of domestic and foreign industrial firms; however, as there is an unbalanced
spreadof industrialization, people from the rural areas migrate to urban areas to look for jobs
and earn money as well as for better education for their children. Such migration not only
results in overpopultated developing cities, but alsocontributes to marital disruption and
parenting role difficulties. According to the survey conducted, about 62.5% of the answerers
are eithermigrants from other cities and provinces or those whose parents had migrated to Ho
Chi Minh City prior to their birth.
A report of the Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Welfare shows that difficult
economic conditions in the recent years has increased the unemployment rate to 4.65% in 2010,
which reduces further the chance of getting jobs of migrants5.Thus many malemigrants with
urgent need of money tend to look for jobs at construction sites or security companies to work
5The Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Welfare (Bộ Lao Động, Thương Binh và Xã
Hội). “The Attitude of Vietnamese Labor and Society 2009/10 (Xu Hướng Lao Động và Xã
Hội Việt Nam 2009/10)”. The International Labor Organization Country Office for Vietnam.
Hanoi. Jun. 2010.

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as security guards; while female migrants start their own peddling businesses selling food or
work as waitresses in restaurants.Besides, it’s not easy for migrated students to get into high
schools or universities in these cities, as they have to sit a stressful entrance exam with very
high competing rate. The ability to afford extra classes gives city students a higher chance to
pass.
With the rapid social change, it’s more likely that rural families are the more traditional
units of the society, thus the decision for one member to migrate usually requires long
consideration. Migrants tend to be men as they are able to make more money, and it would also
be more productive if women stay and manage households. Talking about female migration,
Trần Thị Vân Anh from the Hanoi-based Institute for Family and Gender Studies notes
that“husbands left behind may feel that they are losing power and the attention of those around
them and their masculinity may feel threatened” due to women’s remittances as they now earn
money and get involved more in decision-making(Locke, Nguyen and Nguyen
18).Nonetheless, since city life offers a lot of freedom,marital disruption is quite unavoidable
unless the duration of migration isn’t too long with frequent visits. Increasing betrayal happens
asmore men illegally start a second family in the city. In addition, single migrated women can
find city men more attractive so they get married really fast with a belief in a more comfortable
life, and later also divorce more quickly. The 2004 Migration Survey suggests that the
experienceof marital disruption for migrants is strongly affected by gender:
Not only 2% of women migrants have disrupted marriages at first move
and those who are single marry more quickly and more likely to
experience marital disruption than their male counterparts. It is possible

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that migration offers female divorcees a means of escaping criticism in the
village.6
Nguyễn Vân Bích, the author of “Đàn bà ngoại tình – Một căn bệnh thời đại” (Adulterous
Women – A Disease of Times), said in her article “It is the nature of Vietnamese women to
patiently endure. Then are the aforementioned adulterous wives still Vietnamese women?”
(Nguyễn)7Despite the fact that divorce is culturally discouraged, it seems to be the only choice
that is better for women from rural areas than being criticized as “đàn bà hư” (spoilt woman)
for having an affair while migrating.
As mentioned before, parenting role difficulties arise due to migration because both
father and mother play an important part in children’s development. There is a common belief
that the father’s main role is educating children, especially sons by being an example, and is
significant during adolescence since they provide discipline in the family and are stricter; while
the mother is responsible for good manners and for bringing up her daughters to be good
female role models. (Locke, Nguyen and Nguyen 23) Therefore, the absence of either parent
creates strains for the other: without the father, less supervision is provided and it’s hard for
women to educate their sons the way the men do.
Change from Extended to Nuclear Family
Due to the desire for a good name, the family traditionally placed great emphasis on the
extended family, however it’s more common to see thenuclear family, consisting of only
parents and children, in Vietnamese society nowadays under Đổi Mới.A survey conducted in
Hanoi in 1995 also showed that nuclear families accounted for 66% of all family types, while
6The 2004 Migration Survey: Internal Migration and Related Life Course Events. Hanoi.
7Nguyễn, Vân Bích. “Đàn bà ngoại tình – Một căn bệnh thời đại (Adulterous Women – A
Disease of Times)”. 5 Dec.1996.

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the traditional three-generation household accounted for 33%. (Dean)8Regarding this situation,
journalist Vũ Thu Hà of Viet Nam News claims that “As the country changes in the midst of
globalization, Vietnamese families are adjusting with shifting values” (Vũ).
The Western-style nuclear family is becoming more and more common in Vietnam as it
has considerably increased up to 77.3% of young married couples who choose to live
separately from the family. (Dean)7 The main reason for this change isto livemore
independently than in an extended family,because an individual no longer belongs solely to the
family, but he’s one of the society as well. The nuclear family structure is a great option for
him to have more freedom, to be active and independent of other members. Many couples also
believe that by doing this, they can raise their children without too much interference from the
parents as they are afraid that their parents-in-law could be like other Vietnamese grandparents
who care and protect the children so much that their ability to teach them might be hindered.
(Vũ)Significant social changes leave behind the older generationsso conflicts between the
young and old ones usually occur, which is why this type of family structure is a preferable
choice to reduce generation gaps. Another advantage can be the empowerment of the women’s
voice in the family as it’s hard for the only man in the family to makeevery decision himself.
Nevertheless, one of the biggest issues associated with nuclear familystructure is the
hardship for the elderly because less time is spent by the children to take care of them, while
there are few retirement homes9 and the social welfare policy in Vietnam is not so strict. The
case is even worse to those who are left in the poor conditions of rural areas when their
descendantsmigrated to cities for job opportunities and a better life.
8Dean, Peter. “Change in Vietnamese Family”. Penhurst Girls High School. Nd.
9Ho Chi Minh City Yellow Pages 2011. Vietnam Directory and Yellow Pages 2 Jsc (VYP). Mar
2011. In this telephone directory, there are only 4 official retirement homes listed in Ho Chi
Minh City.

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Moreover, parents with money burden don’t spend as much time for their children as
they would like to, letting them be more exposed to social evils.Dr. Trần Thị Nhung of the
Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences said:
Making enough money to survive challenged intra-family relationships...
Having pressure on family life due to the money burden also led to rising
domestic violence and divorce rates, which had very negative
consequences for children’s development. (Locke, Nguyen and Nguyen
14)
The break-up of the traditional family has threatened the collective identity of Vietnamese
families, as each member is likely to followindividualism. For instance, it is hard nowadays to
see nuclear familymemberstogether at home for dinner. Sometimes parents come home very
late from work, and children attend extra courses after school till 9pm; fast food becomes a
convenient choice for busy people, yet somewhat in conflict with Vietnamese tradition’s
respect offamily meal.Evidently, Western cultures are not simply introduced to Vietnam, but
they come along with other habits for a modern hurried life.
Change in Women’s Role
Vietnamese women are the basic force and developing factor of Vietnamese society.
However under “Đổi Mới”, Vietnamese women’s role has changed significantly: they have
become more confident and self-motivated to prove their ability to Vietnam society in general
and in their family in particular. Therefore, there is fear that they maylose the traditional values
of Vietnamese women.
Traditional Vietnamese Women

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Traditionally, Vietnamese women were restricted from social works but, instead, were
expected to obey “tam tòng, tứ đức” – the criteria for women based on Confucianism. Such
system “advocates a family with a man as the owner” (Trần), thus women were never in charge
of the family and had to follow “tam tòng” – Three Subjections of Women: “Tại gia tòng phụ;
Xuất giá tòng phu; Phu tử tòng tử”. The woman had to obey three men in her life: she obeys
her father when she is young; as soon as she gets married, she obeys her husband; if the
husband dies, she obeys the oldest son. Such rules prevented women from having significant
rights in the society and made “married women totally belong to the family-in-law; as soon as
she was there, despite the good or bad conditions, she couldn’t rely on anyone anymore”. (Phan
78) The other criterion, “tứ đức” includes “Công, Dung, Ngôn, Hạnh” – The Four Virtues.
“Công” is the skillfulness of women in her housework: they should know how to arrange
things effectively, to beconsiderate and able to bring up good children. In the old days, this also
included needlework, embroidering, cooking, selling and maybe “cầm kỳ thi họa” [the Four
Areas of Knowledge: music, chess, poetry, drawing] for high-class women. “Dung” is the
modesty in appearance, which is the harmony of physical and inner beauty. “Ngôn” is to be
soft-spoken and educated in her language, especially when persuading husbands, educating
children and communicating with the outsiders. Finally, “Hạnh” means the dignity of women
embracing honest and loyal behaviors towards their husbands and children, “respectfulness,
benevolence, sacrifice and mature.” (Phan 77)
Male dominance was strongly imposed on the society so women were restricted from
schooling. Domestic science was considered the most important lesson to learn because a
resourceful girl would have a higher chance to marry a good husband; besides that was also the
standard that men at the time were looking for. Parents arranged marriage because they
believed that they could choose the best husband for their daughter. Any courtship or romance
is inappropriate for unmarried people. Although women were very highly expected and were

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“referred to as “nội tướng” – the minister for the interior” (Locke, Nguyen and Nguyen 14)
after married by being responsible for all household work, they couldn’t get involve in any
business of any men in the family. There is a saying “Tài trai lấy năm lấy bảy, gái chính
chuyên chỉ có một chồng" [A talented man has five to seven wives, a virtuous woman has only
one husband] which demonstrates the idea of multiple wives and shows gender inequality in the
society as well as the endurance of suffering and contention of women.
Modern Vietnamese women
Nowadays Vietnamese women follow “Công, Dung, Ngôn, Hạnh” in amore
contemporary way so that it is suitable to the era of integration and modernization under “Đổi
Mới”, in which many opportunities have been created, leading to the change in their social role.
Government and family encourage women to go to school and study well and a large number of
female students have been sent by their family to study abroad. Some families with long-
standing tradition still teach their daughters “Công, Dung, Ngôn, Hạnh”starting at a young age.
Being educated, together with the skillfulness and gentleness in communication, these
Vietnamese women take up career opportunities and earn money. Such environment trains
them to be more confident and self-motivated; many of them now hold important leadership
positions in organizations, companies,and even in the government. Many respondents to the
survey also claim that modern women have rights and are free to love anyone as well as
tochoose their husbands. Early marriage or arranged marriage is illegal and has decreased
significantly in developing regions.In Hanoi, only 1.20% of girls from 15 to 17 years old were
married in 200910.This, together with the ban on multiple wives, has improved women’s
10Department of Child Care and Protection, Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs.
“Kết hôn sớm và tảo hôn ở một số tỉnh, thành phố các khuyến nghị trong tương lai
(Early Marriage and Arranged Marriage in some provinces, cities, and Future
Recommendations)”. Official page of Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social
Affairs.10 Jan. 2012.

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lifestyle. Obviously, by being involved more in the society and being another moneymaking
person in the family, women are now stronger and more independent of their husbands. They
not only share financial burden with the men but also complete their traditional responsibilities
e.g. cooking, doing chores, taking care of children and parents etc. “With the development of
different means of communications, the idea of gender equality has been widespread, thus the
conception of bearing sons rather than daughters is no longer a pressure on newly married
women,”said Mr. Nguyễn Tuấn Cường, a university student who took the survey. Mrs. Võ Thị
Xuân Trang, director of John Robert Powers (JRP) stated her opinion:
In the past the economy was hard, Vietnamese women with generosity and
tolerance normally sacrificed too much to their husbands and children. Now
material life has been better, food and clothing is no longer an urgent issue,
women should love themselves, take care of themselves and enjoy life. (Bích
Hà)
It can be said that “Công, Dung, Ngôn, Hạnh” nowadays has reached another level of
completeness because, along with knowledge, it not only shows Vietnamese women’s role
and ability within the family, but also in the society of Vietnam and in the whole world.
However, the influences of westernization have also created negativity in women’s
outlook and behaviors, which affect their family, marriage and children. Many parents even
encourage their daughters to concentrate on studying rather than help in chores, partially
because there are maids in many families. As the result, “Công”has become an unfamiliar term
to not a small number of modern women; hence many wives now don’t know how to cook,
clean house etc., which fades the traditional beauty of Vietnamese women. Also, according to a
research carried out by the Ministry of Culture, Sport and Tourism, the divorce rate has
increased to 4.8%; especially “the divorce rate of young couples that decided to get married

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themselves is a lot higher than those that asked for parents’ opinion and permission or were
arranged by parents”. (Lâm Vũ and Mai Hoa)
Many women, however, care mostly about career, only provide money and materials to
their children without talking and sharing with them. Statistics from the Ministry of Public
Security show that 9.48% of criminals are juveniles. (Đỗ)Many children are now taking drugs,
clubbing, spending large amounts of money arbitrarily. Besides, Vietnamese psychologist
Nguyen Van Anh said “30% of children who have witnessed violence in divorced families may
have a tendency to be violent when they are adults” (Vietnam News Editors), and girls might
no longer be graceful as they have been traditionally. Since women are important in the society,
any negative changes in them can also have a huge negative impact on other elements of the
society, namely marriage and children.
Conclusion
The traditional family of Vietnam has always played an important role in maintaining
and passing Vietnamese traditions through generations by embodyingcultural habits and
customs.The industrialization and modernization under “Đổi Mới”, which encourage rural-
urban migration,along with the effects of Western cultures, have changed the family lifestyleto
a certain extentthrough its change in family structure and roles, threatening the traditional
values it carries. On the other hand, Vietnam is in the process of better integrating into the
world, creating opportunities and improving the welfare of its people. Vietnamese people, as
seen from the surveys and interviews, are daily exposed to change, and together with the
traditional fondness for learning, they have built upa welcoming attitude towards Western
cultures, which may have some positive impact on their modern lives.However, this does not
necessarily apply tothe whole population since not everyone realizesthe two-side effects of the
changes, hence accidentally go against tradition.Therefore, in adapting to the modern and busy

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lifestyle of suchdeveloping economy and society, it’s necessary that Vietnamese people be
selective about aspects ofthese cultures for acquisition so as to enhance but, at the same time,
still preserve the traditional culture of Vietnam.
Word Count: 3,972
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Vũ, Thu Hà. “Families grapple with changing times”. Viet Nam News. 27 Oct. 2010. Web. Mar.
2011.<http://vietnamnews.vnanet.vn/Sunday/Features/205036/Families-grapple-with-
changing-times.html>
Zeng, Zi. Great Learning. Trans. Ezra Pound. University of Washington Book Store. 1970
Bibliography
Leshkowich, Ann Marie. “Woman, Buddhist, Entrepreneur: Gender, Moral Values, and Class
Anxiety in Late Socialist Vietnam”. Journal of Vietnamese Studies, Vol. 1, Number 1-2.
University of California Press: Berkeley, California. 2006.
Hirschman, Charles and Vu, Manh Loi. “Family and Household Structure in Vietnam: Some
Glimpses from a Recent Survey”. Pacific Affairs, Volume 69, Issue 2. Pacific Affairs.
University of British Columbia: Canada. Summer, 1996.
Ton, Nu Luong Trinh. “Vietnamese traditional family values”. N.p.: n.p.. N.d.
<http://www.vietspring.org/values/traditionalval.html>

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Appendices
__ SOCIAL ANTHROPOLOGY QUESTIONNAIRE __
Investigating how globalization has affected Vietnamese family life
A. General Information
AGE GROUP <20 20 – 60 <60
GENDER Male Female
Have you ever lived and studied outside of Vietnam? Yes No
(If yes, where and for how long?__________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________)
B.Questions (please tick X)
1. Do you feel that the influence ofWestern cultures, such as the US, has affected
traditional Vietnamese family life?
______ Yes, extremely
______ Yes, somewhat
______ There have been some significant changes but the traditions have mostlystayed the
same
______ Not significantly
______ Not at all

18. 000642-024
18
2. Do you feel that these changes are positive or negative for Vietnam?
______ Positive ______ Negative
Optional Comments:
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________
3. Do you see any differences in women’s role in Vietnamese society?
______ Yes, women’s role has changed dramatically (a)
______ Yes, women’s role has changed somewhat but overall is still the same (b)
______ There have been slight, but insignificant changes
______ Not at all
Optional Comments:
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________
* If your answer to question 3 was either (a) or (b), please answer the
following:
Are these differences positive or negative for Vietnamese society?
______ Extremely positive
______ Somewhat positive
______ Neither positive nor negative

19. 000642-024
19
______ Somewhat negative
______ Extremely negative
Please briefly explain
why:_________________________________________________________________________________________________
______
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME!
* This questionnaire was conducted onlinewith limited access.

20. 000642-024
20
_ANALYSIS OF THE SOCIAL ANTHROPOLOGY QUESTIONNAIRE_
Investigating how globalization has affected Vietnamese family life
B. General Information
AGE GROUP < 20 20 -60 > 60
17 10 3
GENDER Male 13 Female17
Have you ever lived and studied outside of Vietnam? Yes 15No 15
(If yes, where and for how long?
 1 month in China, 1 month in Singapore
 Russia, 10 years
 Russia, for one year
 Sydney 2 years
 Canada. Almost 2 years
 UK, 3 months
 UK, 2 years
 Switzerland, more than 1 year
 USA for 2 months
 USA for 3 months
 USA, 3 months
 USA almost 2 years

21. 000642-024
21
 USA, for 2 years
 USA, 2 years
 USA 5 years)
B.Questions (please tick X)
4. Do you feel that the influence ofWestern cultures, such as the US, has
affected traditional Vietnamese family life?
(a) Yes, extremely 7
(b) Yes, somewhat 15
(c) There have been some significant changes but the traditions have mostly
stayed the same 6
(d) Not significantly 2
(e) Not at all 0
5. Do you feel that these changes are positive or negative for Vietnam?
(a) Extremely Positive2
(b) Somewhat positive 16
(c) Neither positive nor negative 9
(d) Somewhat negative 3
(e) Extremely negative 0
(a)
23%
(b)
47%
(c)
18%
(d)
12%
(e)
0%

22. 000642-024
22
Optional Comments:
o Positive : Widen Vietnamese people ' views/perceptions/knowledge toward
social/global issues/events/trends
Negative : Ruin some of traditional norms/beliefs/values of Vietnamese people .
o People take easy on works, parental control, how they dressed, everything! =>
other problems that just occurred
o Work dependently; more freedom; not depend on family a lot; new fashionable
trends…
o Modern and more open thoughts
o They need to learn more from the good and stay away from the bad things that
they always think it "cool" but it actually not
o Some traditional stays the same e.g. we still live in a nuclear family,unlike Western
countries where children start to live on their own when they reach the age of 18.
o There are not many changes in my family life. We still have the same way of living
such as having dinner with family, worship of the ancestors, greetings to the elders
and family members, which are always important. We do not live independently
like the westerns.
o Depends on the way people use it. They may choose to not follow the trends, just
simply because they don't want to get out the box, they don't accept any things
new. They think the tradition is part of their belonging through their experience. If
they change it, they don't feel accepted and belonging.
o There is always a good or a bad side to these changes.
6. Do you see any differences in women’s role in Vietnamese society?
(a) Yes, women’s role has changed dramatically 9
(a)
23%
(b)
47%
(c)
18%
(d)
12%
(e)
0%

23. 000642-024
23
(b)Yes, women’s role has changed somewhat but overall is still the same 18
(c) There have been slight, but insignificant changes 2
(d) Not at all 1
Optional Comments:
o Women have more rights to do the things they want with lessjudgment than that in
the past.
o Same because they would give up things for the ones they love, who are men and
children (still can go to work and be successful but stay home cooking instead)
o Nowadays, women have more advantages to show their abilities because the
society treats them fairly. Thus they can keep the important positions in society,
but they still play a significant role in taking care of their family.
o They have more rights than they used to have. Society expects more from women
than it used to
o How they look, how they talk, how they treat other people, especially boys
o Recently, more and more women are going to work and earning money to help
their family. In some circumstances, they are breadwinners of the family.
o Women have more economic participation and opportunities in the society, also
the empowerment in politics.
o Many of them go to work rather than being housewives. However, they still fulfill
the responsibilities of a wife, a mother.
o Women in VN have a say and high education, can do jobs usually for men like
police, stuntman, etc. but somehow they’re still considered the one who gives
birth,and people still blame children's fault on women.
(a)
23%
(b)
47%
(c)
18%
(d)
12%

24. 000642-024
24
o Women have become more important and had more power in society.
* If your answer to question 3 was either (a) or (b), please answer the
following:
Are these differences positive or negative for Vietnamese society?
(a) Extremely positive4
(b) Somewhat positive18
(c) Neither positive nor negative3
(d) Somewhat negative 2
(e) Extremely negative0
Please briefly explain why:
o Most of women go to work and take important positions in companies, or state
companies.
o Now some Vietnamese women are holding important positions in Vietnam ese
government.
o Basically they have equal rights, including going to university, doing jobs that used
to be available for men only etc. Forced marriage still exists in some parts of the
country, but was reduced by a significant amount.
o More equal than before
o Positive: become backbones of some families instead of men
o Things that women bring to the society when they're successful carry their
personalities (beauty, jealousy...)
o These changes in women's role positive for Vietnamese society because they will
have a lot of right, they won't depend on their husband...
o Women can show their possibilities, capabilities in social life, business
(a)
23%
(b)
47%
(c)
18%
(d)
12%
(e)
0%

25. 000642-024
25
o Women could take parts in social life
o Women's role in the society is more remarkable.
o Things have both sides: it can be positive in the sense that women now have more
opportunities, but can also be negative because many concentrate on their career
and care less for their family.
o Nowadays, women are active and self-confident
o Women can live and enjoy their lives properly.
o - Go outside to get knowledge: bring up their children and take care of their family
better.
- Go to work and make money: share the difficulty with their husband and develop
the family's financial status.
- With other women, they help to build a happy and civil community.
o Because Vietnamese women have more and more good positions in society, but
some seem to neglect housework and the nature of motherhood.
o Because women have more freedom
o Because women can do many things more than ever for society if they have
chances. In other words, the more the society creates opportunities for women's
development, the more the society develops.
o Because western cultural is more modern and it makes Vietnam families more
open and easier to live without a lot of old traditions.
o Women can take part in both politic and social life. Women are not only
housewives but also businesswomen.

26. 000642-024
26
__ SOCIAL ANTHROPOLOGY INTERVIEW QUESTIONS __
Investigating how globalization has affected Vietnamese family life
C. General Information
AGE GROUP <20 20 – 60 <60
GENDER Male Female
B.Questions
7. In what way do you feel that the influence from Western cultures, like
the US, has affected traditional Vietnamese family life?

27. 000642-024
27
8. Do you feel that these changes are positive or negative for Vietnam?
Why?
9. Do you see any differences in women’s role in Vietnamese society? Is
this positive or negative for Vietnamese society?

28. 000642-024
28
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME!
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