VNU Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities
VNU Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities (VNU-JOSSH) Print ISSN: 3093-3889 Electronic ISSN: 3093-3900 Language: English Free Access: Online DOI prefix: http://doi.org/10.33100 Aims and Scope The VNU Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities (VNU-JOSSH) is an English-language publication for the dissemination of cutting-edge international research. It is published by the University of Social Sciences and Humanities (USSH, VNU, Hanoi), Vietnam's leading university in the field of social sciences and humanities. The VNU-JOSSH has emerged from the Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities, which the USSH previously released four times a year in Vietnamese and twice a year in English. The newly designed VNU-JOSSH will now be available exclusively in English, twice a year in April and October, both online in open access format and in print. The VNU Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities (USSH, VNU, Hanoi) aims to provide a forum for researchers from within and outside Vietnam to present and discuss international key issues and innovative research findings. The topics covered will draw on the broad research profile of the USSH in its exploration of Vietnam's historical traditions and current societal problems, as well as on interdisciplinary and international comparative research. The VNU-JOSSH therefore systematically involves academics and researchers from other countries and continents in the publication of its future biannual volumes. To this end, and also to improve the visibility of VNU-JOSSH, each biannual issue will focus on specific topics from the social sciences and humanities, which will be coordinated by guest editors. In addition, The VNU-JOSSH also provides space for the presentation of innovative research results by academics in particular that do not necessarily relate to the respective thematic focus. VNU-JOSSH will present significant new insights into the dynamics of society, culture and human development in Vietnam, Southeast Asia and in a global context. All contributions undergo a rigorous double-blind peer review process and are evaluated by at least two independent experts from the relevant fields.
The Impact of Awareness on Responsible Tourism Behavior Intentions among Generation Z
The recovery of tourism post-pandemic is showing promising progress, albeit through novel approaches. Currently, in many countries and businesses, there is a focus on developing safer and more sustainable tourism. Destinations closely tied to natural environments and communities are becoming increasingly popular, attracting significant interest from young adults. This article investigates the impact of responsibility awareness on the travel intentions of Generation Z tourists. Specifically, it explores the relationships between responsibility awareness, attitudes, subjective norms, and behavioral intentions. A combined offline and online survey was conducted using printed questionnaires and Google Forms, yielding 357 valid responses. The research results indicate that responsibility awareness – encompassing environmental, socio-cultural, and economic aspects – influences attitudes, subjective norms, and the formation of responsible travel intentions among the younger generation. In this context, the attitudes and subjective norms of young adults play a crucial role in shaping their responsible travel intentions. Finally, this article provides recommendations to promote responsible tourism in Vietnam. Received: 9th August, 2025; Revised: 3rd October, 2025; Accepted: 20th April, 2026
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Gender Discrimination in Virtual Gaming Communities: Experiences and Coping Strategies among Female Players in Vietnam’s League of Legends Community
Online gaming has become a significant aspect of modern society, driven by the development of digital technology and attracting millions of players worldwide. As a result, issues of general and gender discrimination have gained increased attention in recent years, as more women participate in online gaming but often face harassment, exclusion, and stereotyping. This article examines female players’ experiences and perceptions of gender discrimination within the Vietnam League of Legends community, as well as their coping strategies. Results from an online survey of 169 female players and semi-structured interviews with 14 male players and four female players reveal that female players have faced gender discrimination – including verbal abuse featuring offensive language, derogatory comments about their intelligence, and doubts about their gaming skills – which diminishes their sense of belonging to the League of Legends community. To cope with this discrimination, female players tend to avoid, deny, or conceal their gender, which perpetuates male dominance in online games and excludes females, and reduces their motivation to engage in online gaming communities. Therefore, the study suggests that Riot Games and other stakeholders in Vietnam should implement a coordinated system that combines AI-powered reporting, transparent disciplinary procedures, partnerships with eSports organizations, gender-specific safe spaces, and educational programs to create a more inclusive, fair, and respectful gaming environment for all players. Received: 7th October, 2025; Revised: 18th November, 2025; Accepted: 18th April, 2026
Perceptions of Dementia Threats and Related Advance Care Planning among Adults in Central Vietnam
Understanding dementia beliefs among Vietnamese people is crucial for the development of evidence-based interventions to promote positive help-seeking behaviors when facing the risk of dementia for themselves and their relatives. This study aims to examine the perceived dementia threats to oneself and relatives, and the perceived importance of advance dementia care planning among adults in the Central region of Vietnam, as well as their associated factors. A total of 300 adults, aged from 18 to 59 years, agreed to participate in the study. They were interviewed using a printed questionnaire at home. Results show that the perceived dementia threat to themselves was associated with their employment status, anxiety about aging, knowing someone with dementia, and dementia knowledge. On the other hand, religiosity, income, and worrying about getting dementia in the future significantly contributed to the perceived threat of dementia to their relatives. The perceived importance of advance care planning for dementia was significantly predicted by age, religiosity, dementia knowledge, and perceived threat of dementia to themselves. Received: 28th July, 2025; Revised: 2nd October, 2025; Accepted: 10th April, 2026
Perceived Benefits of Drama-based Projects in English Literature Learning: A Case Study
Drama-based projects have gained recognition as an engaging technique in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) literature instruction, yet little is known about how English majors in Vietnam perceive the benefits of this technique for language learning over time. This short-term qualitative case study investigates the perceived benefits across three phases of a drama-based project among English majors at Ho Chi Minh City University of Economics and Finance. Data were collected from twenty students’ biweekly diaries and follow-up interviews with five selected participants over a six-week period. Results reveal that students experienced emotional, cognitive, and interpersonal growth across the phases. Participants’ perceptions of drama evolved significantly over the six-week project. Initial anxiety gradually gave way to positive emotional fulfillment, deeper literary understanding, increased engagement with literary texts, and enhanced language and personal skills. Moreover, collaboration progressed from basic task sharing to strong teamwork cohesion. These findings highlight the pedagogical potential of drama in promoting both linguistic and interpersonal development. The study offers implications for integrating structured, reflective drama tasks into EFL literature curricula to foster deeper engagement and holistic learning outcomes. Received: 30th June, 2025; Revised: 29th August, 2025; Accepted: 16th April, 2026
Difficulties in Teaching and Learning Intensive Vietnamese through Preschool Materials for Ethnic Minority Children: A Saussurean Semiotic Perspective
In the multilingual context of Vietnam, the national education policy has identified the task of strengthening Vietnamese language proficiency for ethnic minority preschool and primary school children as a top priority to ensure equitable access to education and long-term academic success (Vietnamese Prime Minister 2016). However, the process of teaching and learning Vietnamese as a second language remains challenging due to differences in language, culture, and lived experiences. One of the teaching resources used is Thiết kế các hoạt động giáo dục theo chủ đề – theo định hướng tăng cường tiếng Việt cho trẻ mẫu giáo 5 tuổi (Designing Thematic Educational Activities – With an Orientation Toward Strengthening Vietnamese for Five-Year-Old Preschoolers) by Le Thi Luong et al. (2018), yet few studies have analyzed this material from a semiotic perspective. Drawing on Saussure’s (2011) semiotic theory, this study examines the difficulties arising in teaching and learning Vietnamese through this material. The analysis focuses on the relationship between signifier and signified, the arbitrariness of signs, and their relationality within the language system. Findings reveal significant semiotic discrepancies between the teaching materials and the lived experiences of ethnic minority children, manifested in linguistic gaps, cultural and experiential mismatches, and heavy reliance on teachers’ ability to act as mediators of meaning. The study underscores the need to develop culturally responsive teaching resources and to train teachers in semiotic mediation skills to enhance the effectiveness of Vietnamese language acquisition among ethnic minority preschoolers. Received: 8th September, 2025; Revised: 17th October, 2025; Accepted: 29th April, 2026
Integrating Culture and Environment into High School Geography Education for Sustainable Development
This article explores the integration of cultural and environmental dimensions into geography education within the framework of Vietnam’s 2018 General Education Curriculum. While geography inherently connects natural and social sciences, cultural and environmental aspects remain underemphasized in classroom practice. To address this gap, the article develops a theoretical foundation linking integration, interdisciplinarity, and “Education for Sustainable Development” (ESD). It then analyses the upper secondary geography curriculum (Grades 10-12), identifying thematic entry points – Humans and Nature, Geography of Economic Sectors, World Socio-Economic Geography, and Regional Development – that provide opportunities for localized teaching themes (e.g., indigenous knowledge in the Northwest, sustainable tourism in Ha Long Bay, urbanization in Ho Chi Minh City, and community-based tourism in the Central Highlands). Drawing on the results of surveys of teachers and students, the article highlights both the potential benefits and challenges of applying integration in practice. To support pedagogical implementation, a seven-step process is proposed to guide teachers from defining objectives to reflection and adjustment. This process demonstrates how cultural and environmental integration can enrich geography education, foster students’ problem-solving and civic competencies, and contribute to ESD goals. The article thus offers practical insights for curriculum developers, educators, and policymakers seeking to strengthen the transformative role of geography in promoting sustainable development. Received: 11th August, 2025; Revised: 8th January, 2026; Accepted: 19th January, 2026
Binge-Watching and Information Overload in the Digital Environment: An Empirical Study
The widespread use of streaming platforms and social media has made binge-watching - the continuous consumption of multimedia content within a short period - increasingly common among adolescents. Although prior studies mainly examine binge-watching as entertainment or problematic use, its relationship with information overload among high school students remains underexplored, particularly in emerging digital contexts. This study investigates the association between binge-watching behaviors and perceived information overload among Vietnamese high school students, with attention to underlying psychological dimensions. A cross-sectional survey of 151 students at a public high school in Hanoi revealed that binge-watching is prevalent and significantly associated with information overload. Anticipation showed the strongest positive effect and emerged as the most robust predictor, whereas craving had a significant negative effect. Dependency and avoidance were not statistically significant. Overall, information overload appears to be shaped more by motivational and cognitive mechanisms than by viewing duration, especially expectation-driven engagement and differences in self-regulatory capacity. The findings contribute to understanding digital information behavior by highlighting the role of motivational structures in adolescent cognitive overload. Received: 31st January, 2026; Revised: 26th March, 2026; Accepted: 13th April, 2026
Power, Face, and Public Humiliation in Mass Communication: The Case of the “Tổng Tài” Incident in Hanoi (September 2025)
This article analyzes the dynamics of mass communication surrounding the incident widely referred to in public opinion as the “Tổng Tài” case (a colloquial term used in Vietnamese online discourse to refer to a wealthy, powerful “CEO-like” figure, often with connotations of status display and authority), which occurred in Hanoi in September 2025. It does so from the perspectives of power, face, and public humiliation in the context of digital media. Adopting a qualitative research approach with a case study design, the study employs discourse analysis and content analysis to examine data from mainstream news media and social media platforms, focusing on the processes through which moral judgments of public opinion are formed, disseminated, and legitimized. The findings indicate that the initial conflict originated from a clash between positional power and legitimate power within an everyday interaction, leading to the collapse of an individual’s face once violent behavior was exposed in the online public sphere. Journalism and social media played a pivotal role in amplifying, legitimizing, and enacting public humiliation as an informal mechanism of social punishment. On this basis, the article proposes a “Power – Loss of Face – Public Humiliation” model to explain the dynamics of mass communication in Vietnam’s digital society. The study contributes an interdisciplinary analytical framework to communication research while also raising critical issues concerning media ethics, public opinion governance, and the limits of popular justice in the contemporary media environment. Received: 30th January, 2026; Revised: 17th March, 2026; Accepted: 22th April, 2026
Constructing “Productive Youth:” Journalistic Discourse, Power Relations, and Pop-Culture Consumption in Vietnam
This article examines the construction of journalistic discourse regarding the cultural consumption of Vietnamese youth through music entertainment programmes. The research focuses on prominent case studies, including Sao Mai Điểm Hẹn, Vietnam Idol, Rap Việt, and Anh Trai Vượt Ngàn Chông Gai (the Vietnamese version of Call Me by Fire). Adopting a constructivist perspective, the article draws on a qualitative methodological approach that combines content analysis and discourse analysis of 28 articles from online newspapers Tien Phong, Tuoi Tre, and Thanh Nien, with in-depth interviews with journalists who work in the culture and entertainment sector. The findings reveal established patterns within journalistic discourse concerning youth cultural consumption, latent biases, and the intricate network of power relations that interact to shape media perspectives. Received: 31st January, 2026; Revised: 1st April, 2026; Accepted: 13th April, 2026
“Legal Personality” and the Governance of Religion under the Republic of Vietnam (1955-1975): A Legal-Historical Analysis
This article examines the recognition of “legal personality” for religious organizations in South Vietnam under the Republic of Vietnam (RVN), 1955-1975, treating this status as a key indicator of state-religion relations within a secular legal order. Using a legal-historical approach, it combines doctrinal analysis of normative legal texts with contextual interpretation to reconstruct procedures of recognition and assess their implications for religious organizations’ legal capacity, property rights, organizational autonomy, and participation in the public sphere. The article argues that during 1955-1963, Ordinance No. 10 functioned as the principal legal framework for associations while excluding Catholicism and Protestantism from its scope, thereby producing an exceptional regime. After 1963, the RVN expanded recognition to several major religions through special legislative instruments, although this expansion remained uneven. This pattern of recognition, conceptualized as “selective legalization,” simultaneously broadened the legal space for religious activity and served as a technique of state governance in the religious sphere. Received: 27th January, 2026; Revised: 25th March, 2025; Accepted: 25th April, 2026
Defense and Security Cooperation between Vietnam and Laos in the New Context
Defense and security cooperation constitutes a foundational and inseparable pillar of the special relationship between Vietnam and Laos. This cooperation has consistently been recognized as essential for safeguarding independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity, and for maintaining political and social stability in each country. The current regional and international context, characterized by complex dynamics, intensifying strategic competition, and the rise of non-traditional security challenges, necessitates a comprehensive and in-depth evaluation of this strategic cooperation. This article pursues two primary objectives: first, to analyze and assess the state of defense and security cooperation between the two nations in the modern era (from 1986 to the present) through a multidimensional lens; and second, to propose systemic and feasible solutions to strengthen and enhance the effectiveness of this cooperation in the new context. The study affirms the strategic importance and the imperative need to continuously develop this cooperative pillar for the stability and development of each nation, as well as for regional peace. Received: 30th June, 2025; Revised: 29th August, 2025; Accepted: 16th April, 2026
special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation
Factors Influencing Maternal Stress: Self-Assessment by Mothers of Young Children
This article explores how mothers with children under the age of six years perceive the influence of different groups of factors on their stress levels. Data were collected through a survey of 200 mothers of children aged 0–6 years, residing in both urban and rural areas of Hanoi. The questionnaire included the Parental Stress Scale (PSS) and a self-developed 28-item instrument, categorized into five groups: (1) child-related factors, (2) maternal health and physical condition, (3) lack of time and difficulty in achieving work-life balance, (4) insufficient support resources, and (5) social pressures. Descriptive statistics, Pearson correlations, and multiple linear regression analyses were applied. The results showed that the average PSS score was lower than the theoretical mean, but with wide variation, indicating that a considerable proportion of mothers experienced high stress. The regression model revealed that the factor group comprising lack of time and difficulty in achieving work-life balance was the only one significantly associated with maternal stress after controlling for demographic variables. Other groups of factors also showed positive correlations with stress, reflecting its multifactorial nature—arising not from a single cause but from the interaction of multiple influences at different systemic levels. The article provides empirical evidence to inform interventions that enhance time-management skills, promote flexible working conditions, and strengthen family and social support systems to help reduce stress among mothers with young children in Hanoi. Received: 11th June, 2025; Revised: 19th August, 2025; Accepted: 10th October, 2025.
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The Re-emergence of Non-material Factors in International Relations
For years, material factors have been regarded as central to the study of international relations (IR). Whether in the form of military force, money, resources, land, or territory, material factors have traditionally been considered the primary components of power that determine state behaviour and the defining elements of the international system. Although non-material factors, such as culture, values, knowledge, and norms, do affect the life of nations, they have long received limited attention globally for a variety of reasons. This study argues that in the post-Cold War era, particularly since the 1990s, non-material factors have re-emerged and are increasingly influencing global affairs. Accompanying this trend is the growing prominence of theories and scholarly works that foreground the role of non-material dimensions in IR. Received: 10th July, 2025; Revised: 10th September, 2025; Accepted: 10th October, 2025
The Portrayal of the LGBTQ+ Community in Vietnamese Online Newspapers: A Content Analysis of Heteronormative Language
This article reports the findings of a study investigating the portrayal of LGBTQ+ identities in six of the most-read Vietnamese online newspapers. Adopting a mixed-methods approach grounded in queer linguistics and framing theory, the research group analysed 205 articles to identify the patterns of heteronormative language in LGBTQ+ portrayal. The analysis focuses on the frequency of representation, tone of voice, framing devices, and linguistic stereotyping. Quantitative results reveal significant disparities in portrayal: 38% of articles referred only to the general LGBTQ+ label, while subgroups, especially bisexual and transgender individuals, remain notably underrepresented. Stereotypes related to appearance, occupation, and social relations are prevalent, reinforcing generalized and heteronormative portrayal. The results of the framing analysis based on Entman’s model reveal a limited narrative depth and a tendency to associate LGBTQ+ subjects with societal issues. The article also discusses the role of heteronormative cultural frameworks in shaping media discourse and discusses the possible impact of such heteronormativity in shaping public opinion on matters regarding the LGBTQ+ community. Findings underscore how mainstream media in Vietnam continues to both reproduce and challenge heteronormative norms, highlighting the dual role of media as both a site of marginalization and potential affirmation of queer identities. Received: 12th May, 2025; Revised: 4th August, 2025; Accepted: 10th October, 2025
Struggling against the Black Tide: Vietnamese Fishermen and the Politics of the BP Oil Spill
Vietnamese Americans in New Orleans gained national attention after Hurricane Katrina in 2005, when they were among the first groups to return to the devastated city. However, the BP Oil Spill in 2010 caused further disruption, severely impacting their livelihoods and the broader fishing industry in Louisiana. This article examines the imbalance of power in the compensation process managed by BP’s claims agency, highlighting that not only Vietnamese Americans, but also White and Black fishers, faced structural challenges and exclusion. By tracing the experiences of the Vietnamese fishing community, this study explores how they navigated the process of seeking recognition and justice while resisting the constraints of BP’s compensation protocols. Ultimately, the article argues that the collective efforts of affected individuals and community organizations have the potential to challenge and reshape systems of power and inequality. Received: 14th April, 2025; Revised: 9th July, 2025; Accepted: 10th October, 2025.
Affordances and Constraints in the Implementation of Project-Based Language Teaching: The Experiences of Teachers of English as a Foreign Language
Project-Based Language Teaching (PBLT) is an innovative approach that enhances student engagement, creativity, and language proficiency through collaborative projects. This approach can deliver various benefits as well as pose challenges. This article reports the findings of a mixed-method study that investigated the experiences of high school teachers of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) when implementing PBLT, and PBLT’s affordances and constraints. The convenience sample comprised 120 EFL high school teachers in Tay Ninh, Vietnam. Data were collected via a questionnaire and semi-structured interviews. The findings revealed that while teachers acknowledged PBLT’s affordances, such as enhancing student engagement, improving student collaboration, and developing student creativity, they also encountered constraints related to time management, pedagogical shift, and assessment. The article offers insights for educators and policymakers to improve PBLT implementation, contributing to more effective English language instruction in Vietnamese high schools. Received: 26th March, 2025; Revised 1st June, 2025; Accepted: 10th October, 2025
Believing the Future: Credulity, Rhetoric, and the Fetish of Success in Vietnamese Urban Planning
This essay explores how belief in modernization continues to animate the making of cities in contemporary Vietnam. It argues that post-reform urbanization has not abandoned developmental conviction but has re-animated it through the rhetoric of planning. Drawing on the example of Hanoi’s New Urban Areas—planned satellite districts designed to embody modernization and prosperity—the essay traces how planning language, policy discourse, and popular imagination converge to sustain a shared credulity toward futurity. Terms such as order, modernity, and civility do not merely describe development goals; they enact success ahead of time, translating ideological visions into administrative, spatial, and emotional realities. Yet, this credulity is also strained by the contradictions between rhetoric and materiality: the promise of coherence in planning often yields fragmented or suspended urban landscapes. The essay aims to reframe this tension not as irrationality or failure, but as an essential part of Vietnam’s planning modernity, where “believing the future” becomes both the engine and the symptom of its rapid urban transformations. Received: 2th July 2025; Revised: 10th September 2025; Accepted: 20th October 2025
Cities at the Forefront: Shaping Low-carbon Futures in India
: India's cities are at the centre of the global climate and energy transition. They remain deeply dependent on fossil fuels as hubs of high consumption and emissions, yet simultaneously drive economic growth, industry, and employment. As India pursues its Net Zero commitments, the way its cities restructure energy use will shape national and global low-carbon trajectories. In this context, using examples from several large and medium-sized cities, this paper explores how cities of different sizes in India are creating different clean energy pathways and examines the political economy of the energy transition in cities. The article discusses the multifaceted nature of the transition, emphasizing the difficulties associated with evolving energy systems within urban environments. The paper also reflects on the issues and challenges, and discusses the adoption and participation of different sections of city dwellers in this transition. Received: 2nd July 2025; Revised: 10th September 2025; Accepted: 20th October 2025
Completing the “Long Planning Revolution” in Vietnam: Implementing and Amending the Planning Law (2017)
A “long planning revolution” in Vietnam spanning the past 40 years began with the Doi Moi economic reforms (1986), which laid the foundations for all government structures and activities. A carefully prepared new Planning Law was adopted in 2017, which incorporated a considerable amount of new thinking, but almost ten years later, the need for amendments is being transformed into a proposed update of the law. This paper traces the performance of the Planning Law in practice, in view of the emerging agenda for amendments that are currently under consideration. The complex process of working towards such amendments might be expected to conclude in the next two years (2026-2027). This would finally bring to an end a 40-year period of innovation and change in the history of Vietnamese planning legislation. In this context, the paper also considers the substantial contributions made by international agencies in Vietnam, such as UN-Habitat, which have been instrumental in guiding the change processes for nearly three decades. Received: 2nd July 2025; Revised: 10th September 2025; Accepted: 20th October 2025
Learning about Urban Development in China: A Collage of Narratives
This paper presents a collage of personal narratives derived from travel diaries documented over the past twenty-five years of professional engagement in China. Stemming from diverse activities—ranging from academic teaching and keynote presentations to cooperation in urban development projects and study tours - these narratives offer a perspective on the country's urbanization processes. While basing on extensive literature on Chinese history and governance, the study acknowledges the inherent complexity of fully grasping the local context from an external viewpoint. Consequently, rather than offering a systematic theoretical analysis, the author provides a qualitative reflection on the evolving urban planning culture in China, illustrating specific case studies of development and transformation observed through personal experience. Received: 2nd July 2025; Revised: 10th September 2025; Accepted: 20th October 2025