Transformation of social roles in traditional craftsmanship villages in modern Vietnam

Abstract

Traditional craft villages have been one of the popular socio-economic models since ancient times in many countries and regions. In Vietnam, traditional craft villages have made a very positive contribution to the overall development of the area. These successes highlighted and recognized the critically important social role of individuals and organizations in the community of craft villages. At present, in a modernizing life, traditional craft villages face great challenges in maintaining their activities in the face of changes in modern social life. Thus, this article recognizes the need to describe the changes as well as the adaptation of social roles in the economic, cultural and social life of individuals as well as organizations in the traditional craft village community today. The case study chosen in the article was the lacquer village of Tuong Binh Hiep, Binh Duong Province, Viet Nam. The main method used in this study was a survey (N = 297) of households that still produce traditional lacquerware in Tuong Binh Hiep village. Apply this method to refine observational analysis or collect available data, add useful information to help explain the factors that are changing the roles of individuals and organizations carried out nowadays in traditional craft village communities. Based on the results of the study, the author will make the most basic assessments that will serve as a prerequisite for further research to find solutions to support traditional village craft communities in Vietnam for facing the impacts of the modern life.