Consumption and Vietnam’s New Middle Classes: Societal Transformations and Everyday Life (Consumption and Public Life)

This book studies the dramatic changes in consumption patterns in Vietnam over the past decades, combining a focus on everyday practices and societal transformations. Zooming in on the new urban middle classes, and through in-depth case studies in the realms of mobility, food and energy, the book brings new insights to some of the most urgent global sustainability challenges. Based on a decade of research in Vietnam, the book aims to contribute to better understanding one of the most fascinating ‘development success stories’ in the world. It introduces the term ‘consumer socialism’ to analyse some of the contradictions embedded in the socialist market economy. Simultaneously, the book aims to contribute to strengthening consumption research in and on emerging economies, and for this purpose develops a theoretical approach focusing on social practices and the political economy of consumption. Acknowledgments Contents List of Figures List of Tables 1: Introduction: Consumption, Societal Transformations and Everyday Life in Vietnam Consumption, Change and Continuity Social Practices, Everyday Geographies and Political Economy: Doing Consumption Research in Vietnam Outline of the Book References 2: Consumption Transformed: Đôˀi Mơ'i, New Middle Classes and the Construction of Consumer Socialism Consuming Đổi Mới1 The Socialist Market Economy and the Creation of New Middle Classes Constructing Consumer Socialism The Socialist Consumer Revolution Conflicted Consumerism Conclusion References 3: Reflexive Individuals and the Political Economy of Everyday Practices: Theorising Consumption and Capitalist Development Challenging Practice Theory: Consumers, Culture and the Political Economy of Practices Consumers as Reflexive Individuals Culture and Practice The Political Economy of Practices Practices and the Political Economy of Development: Concluding Discussion References 4: Wheels of Change: Motorbikes, Cars and Capitalism Driving Đổi Mới: Contextual and Theoretical Starting Points Theorising Automobility and Moto-Mobility ‘Motorbike Ethnography’ Hanoi on Wheels: The System of Moto-Mobility and Its Everyday Geography Driving in the System of Moto-Mobility The Particularities of Hanoi’s Moto-Mobile Streetscapes Mundane Mobilities and Their Moorings Emerging Automobility Mobile Distinction Italian Luxury Success on Four Wheels Better Service, Higher Bribes The Car as a Business Strategy Bringing Success to the quê Mobile Pragmatism and Conspicuous Immobility Conspicuous Luck Normalising Automobility: Cars, Capitalism, and Socio-Politically Embedded Mobility Between the Exceptional and the Expected Conclusion References 5: Food Transformations, Food Cultures and Food Practices in the Socialist Market Economy Đổi Mới’s Foodscape Transformations Practices, Culture and Foodscapes Eating Out Under Consumer Socialism Change and Continuity Heterogeneous Foodways Changing Food Cultures6 Generational Differences Concluding Discussion: Food Cultures and the Political Economy of Food Practices References 6: Đổi Mới and the Meatification of Everyday Food Practices Meat and Development Development, Agricultural Change and Meat Consumption in Vietnam Increasing Meat Consumption in Vietnam: The Main Factors Factor 1: Provisioning Meat: Increased Availability and Affordability Factor 2: Meat Intensification of Food Practices Factor 3: Eating Out Factor 4: Meat Representing Development and Distinction Eating a Capitalist Transformation: Practices and Provision Meat Cultures Conclusion References 7: Electrifying Development: Consumption Booms and Household Energy Demand Consuming Energy Energy Transformations and the Political Economy of Energy Consumer Socialism and Household Electricity Consumption The Power of Stuff Conditioning Comfort Electrifying Mobility Conclusion References 8: Conclusion: Consumption, Sustainability and the Political Economy of Consumer Socialism Studying Consumption and Development Consumption in the Socialist Market Economy: Variegated Transformations Change and Continuity Pandemic Disruptions Asian Middle Classes and Sustainable, Post-pandemic Futures References Correction to: Consumption Transformed: Đôˀi Mơ’i, New Middle Classes and the Construction of Consumer Socialism Index