How did Vietnam transform itself from a war-torn and internationally isolated planned economy into one of Asia's most dynamic economies? That is the topic of this CBS Library Forum talk.

Anthropologist and Professor at the University of Copenhagen Tine M. Gammeltoft, Anthropologist Amalie Rørholm Vestergaard, and External Lecturer and Professional Board Member Søren Davidsen will discuss key insights from their new book, Vietnam i Verden – Verden i Vietnam [Vietnam in the World – The World in Vietnam].

Their talk will explore the tension between deeply rooted Confucian collectivist values and the growing individualism among younger generations in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, alongside Vietnam's transition from a rigid planned economy to a globally integrated market economy. It will also examine how the country's socialist one-party state navigates an increasingly complex geopolitical landscape, balancing relations with both the United States and China through its distinctive "bamboo diplomacy" and the defence doctrine known as the "Four No's" while seeking to preserve both economic growth and national sovereignty.

The talk is an introduction to the political, economic, and cultural forces shaping one of Southeast Asia's most dynamic and strategically important countries.

We encourage you to register beforehand for this event. However, the event is open even without registration.