Constructing the Nation in Youth: Factors Shaping National Identity Perceptions Among Vietnamese Young People

Given Vietnam’s communist legacy and long struggle for independence, the formation of national identity - especially among youth - merits close study. However, existing research on young Vietnamese’s national identity primarily focuses on the experiences of those residing abroad, such as international students (e.g. Pham & Saltmarsh, 2013) or individuals from diaspora families (e.g. Ben-Moshe & Kirpitchenko, 2016). The national identity of the current generation is unique because they did not directly experience the major nation-building events, like wars, that profoundly shaped their predecessors. Instead, their inherited identity is expressed in a distinctive way that emerges from the intersection and complex interplay of globalization, media development, and modern propaganda. Thus, this paper provides an analysis of how national identity among Vietnamese youth is presented and negotiated across education, media/entertainment, and socio-political life