Social Integration of Vietnamese Women Married to Foreigners (Case Study in Penghu Islands and Taipei, Taiwan)

Abstract

Objective - This research primarily focuses on the subject of social integration and related issues. Social integration is interpreted as being the process of inclusion and acceptance of individuals in a system, the creation of relationships among individuals and their subsequent attitudes towards society. It is the result of conscious and motivated interaction and cooperation between individuals and groups Methodology/Technique - This paper is based on information that came from a case study undertaken in 2014 on the Penghu Islands and in Taipei, Taiwan. Quantitative data was collected from the available literature and qualitative data derived from interviews and the observation of 31 people including Vietnamese women who married Taiwanese husbands; local government officers. Findings – Evidence from this research showed that social integration and related issues are highly influential in determining the success, or failure of cross-border marriages. The three types of social integration (formal residential, social and community and personal) overlap and complement each other to promote the social integration of Vietnamese women who married Taiwanese men. Novelty - It is hoped that these research findings will provide a valuable resource for researchers, theorists of social integration, those interested in the impact of social capital on the lives of community members and community leaders concerned with the impact of relationships that bind the community to community. Type of Paper - Empirical Keywords: Social Integration; Vietnam-Taiwan; International Marriage. JEL Classification: J12, J15.