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PREAMBLE
1. The urgency of the thesis
Culture creates the unique appearance of each nation. When referring to a
nation, people often think of the culture of the nation, as well as desiring to find out
about any nation, the best way is to understand their culture, because it is the
personality of the nation, is a basic feature to distinguish one nation from another.
Cultural identity is the essence, characteristic, the most specific characteristic of the
national culture. Cultural identity is the essence, soul, character, the bravery of a
nation. Therefore, retaining the cultural identity means retaining the nation.
Conversely, losing cultural identity means losing the nation forever.
The Communist Party of Vietnam has always advocated the building of an
advanced Vietnamese culture that is deeply rooted in the national identity - that is, to
build, develop and preserve Vietnamese national identity, including the culture of
ethnic groups.
Today, modern society with the globalization, international integration, science
and technology development, market economy ,etc…are affecting much on the
identity of ethnic culture in general, identity ethnic culture in particular.
Cultural identity of ethnic minorities is also facing the challenges, with a risk
of missing, distorting, fading ... The unhealthy elements penetrate into the perception
and the fresh line of ethnic minorities, which make up the hybrid way in the thought,
and the way of life of the people, tend to blur and lose the traditional cultural identity
of the ethnic minority.
The northeast of Vietnam, which is home of more than twenty ethnic groups,
mostly ethnic minorities, is not out of the general trend of the country.
The cultural identity of ethnic minorities here is extremely rich, diverse in
terms of expression through tangible and intangible cultural values but all contain
typical and core cultural values that has existed for a long time in history such as the
spirit of solidarity, attachment, helping each other; a simple, rustic, sincere and
harmonious way of life with the people and the nature of the Northeastern mountains;
creativity, hard work, high adaptation to nature are somewhat harsh and always know
how to ensure psychological balance…. These cultural values have created the
essence and bravery of the community of ethnic minorities in the Northeast, helping
the people to exist and develop sustainably in history.
The context and conditions of globalization and international integration,
especially the process of developing a market economy and building a modern
society in our country, on the one hand, creating favorable conditions for ethnic
minorities to continue to maintain, survive and develop cultural values in the
direction of modernization, on the other hand, it also makes those cultural values
doped, transformed and even disappeared, losing the national cultural identity as a
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great challenge.That situation is posing a pressing problem now, how to integrate
internationally and develop market economy, build a modern society for rapid
development while preserving and promoting the cultural identity of ethnic
minorities; how to preserve and promote the cultural identity of the ethnic minorities
in the Northeast effectively to turn the cultural power of the Northeast into the
common strength of the country's development; What measures can be taken to
improve the effectiveness of preserving and promoting the cultural identity of ethnic
minorities in the Northeast region, contributing to comprehensively promoting the
renovation process? This issue has practical implications for the development of the
Northeast in particular and the country in general, by "true culture is a solid spiritual
foundation of society, an important endogenous power to ensure the sustainable
development and solid protection of the Fatherland".
Therefore, the researcher chose “ Preserve and promote the cultural identity of
ethnic minorities in northeastern Vietnam nowadays” as the thesis of Doctoral
dissertation.
2. Purposes and research tasks of the thesis
- The purpose of the thesis.
On the basis of theories on preservation and promotion of cultural identities,
the dissertation clarified the current situation of preserving and promoting cultural
identities of ethnic minorities in the Northeast of Vietnam at present in order to
propose the directions and solutions to improve the efficiency of preserving and
promoting the cultural identity of ethnic minorities.
- Research tasks
+ To clarify the researching situation related to the thesis and raising issues raised for
the dissertation.
+ To analyze theoretical issues of cultural identity of ethnic minorities and preserving
and promoting the cultural identity of ethnic minorities in the northeastern of Vietnam.
+ To survey and clarify the current situation of preserving and promoting the
cultural identity of ethnic minorities in the Northeast of Vietnam, point out the causes of that
situation and identify the raising issues regarded for preserving and promoting the
cultural identity of ethnic minorities in the Northeast of Vietnam nowadays.
+ To propose some views and major solutions to improve the efficiency of
preserving and promoting the cultural identity of ethnic minorities in the Northeast
of Vietnam.
3. Subjects and scope of research.
- Subjects of study: The issue of preserving and promoting the cultural identity
of ethnic minorities in northeastern Vietnam.
- Scopes of research :
+ The dissertation will study the preservation and promotion of cultural
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identities of ethnic minorities in the Northeast of Vietnam in the period of renovation,
when Vietnam accelerates industrialization and modernization and develops the
market economy. and international integration.
+ The Northeast is divided into 10 provinces: Lang Son, Cao Bang, Ha Giang,
Tuyen Quang, Thai Nguyen, Bac Kan, Yen Bai, Lao Cai, Bac Giang and Phu Tho.
However, the thesis only studied the cultural identities of ethnic minorities in 6
provinces: Lang Son, Cao Bang, Ha Giang, Tuyen Quang, Thai Nguyen, Bac Kan
because of their cultural identity. .
+ The cultural identity of ethnic minorities in the Northeast is very diverse.
Within the framework of a doctoral thesis, the thesis focuses on studying the cultural
identity in some aspects of intangible cultural and intangible culture; contents,
subjects, ways to preserve and promote cultural identity of ethnic minorities.
+ In the documents of the Party and State, the term "nation" is used with a
broad meaning to refer to the nation and narrow meaning for the ethnic. In this thesis,
the term "ethnic minorities" is used synonymously with the notion of "ethnic" - that
is, in the common sense of our country today.
4. Theoretical bases and research methods
- Theoretical bases
The dissertation is based on the theories of Marxism-Leninism, Ho Chi Minh's
thoughts, the Party's views and guidelines, the State's policies and laws on preservation
and promotion of cultural identity of ethnic minorities in the strategy of socio-economic
development of the country in general, ethnic minorities in the Northeast in particular.
The dissertation inherits a number of research results of scientific works and practical
summaries of the Party, State and local agencies related to the thesis.
- Research Methods.
The thesis uses dialectical materialist methodology, historical materialism and
specific scientific research methods such as history and logic, analysis and synthesis,
inductive and interpretive, comparative, theories linked to reality, sightseeing,
practical observations ..., specifically:
The thesis uses dialectical dialectical methodology to recognize Northeastern cultural
objects, phenomena and cultural identities in a state of mobilization and
development; There is a dialectic relationship between cultural phenomena; cultural
things and artifacts must be very specific and exist in certain historical conditions.
The historical materialist method is used to study cultural phenomena and cultural
identities in relation to social existence and it is influenced and regulated by social
existence.
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The method of combining analysis and synthesis is used to clarify the concepts in
chapter 2 such as cultural concepts, cultural identities, cultural identities of ethnic
minorities.
Methods of analysis - synthesis, history, logic, comparison are also used in
assessing the status of preserving and promoting the cultural identity of ethnic
minorities in the Northeast nowadays.
Methods of visiting and observing the actual museums, festivals, some areas
inhabited by ethnic minorities.
The thesis uses practical data, collecting information and data from localities in
the Northeast, specifically data from 6 provinces of Lang Son, Cao Bang, Bac Kan,
Thai Nguyen, Ha Giang and Tuyen Quang to analyze and generalize the situation of
preserving and promoting the cultural identity of ethnic minorities here.
5. New contributions of the thesis.
- From a philosophical perspective, the thesis has approached, studied culture,
cultural identity, cultural identity of ethnic minorities in the Northeast not only in the
form of expression, but in the inner layers of they, like the way of life and the mode
of labor, create cultural values.
- From that approach and research, the thesis has generalized the success and
limitations in preserving and promoting the cultural identity of ethnic minorities in
the Northeast; Identify the causes of success and limitations of preserving and
promoting the cultural identity of ethnic minorities in the Northeast.
- The thesis has given some reasonable views and specific, feasible solutions to
improve the effectiveness of preserving and promoting the cultural identity of ethnic
minorities in the Northeast in the context and current conditions.
6. The meaning of the thesis.
- Reasoning meanings:
+ The results of the thesis contribute to enrich and deepen the theory on
preserving and promoting ethnic cultural identity, especially of ethnic minorities in
the Northeast of Vietnam.
+ To providing scientific basis for the development of strategies and policies
for cultural development among ethnic minorities in the Northeast of Vietnam.
- Practical meaning:
The dissertation is a reference for researching, teaching and learning in
specialized research institutions and universities and colleges in our country.
7. Structure of the thesis.
Apart from the Introduction, Conclusion, List of references, the dissertation has
4 chapters of 10 periods.
CHAPTER 1
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OVERVIEW OF STUDY RELATED TO THE THESIS AND
PROBLEMS RELATED TO DOCTORAL DISSERTATION
1.1. Research situation related to thesis of dissertation
1.1.1. Research on culture, cultural identity and cultural identity of ethnic
minorities
* The study of culture.
Culture is a broad field of society, it is also the basic science of social sciences
and humanities. Cultural studies have been mentioned long ago in the history of
human science. Until nowadays, culture is still a fundamental and urgent topic that
has been studied and dissected in many different ways by scientists, cultural activists
and international organizations. First of all, the study of culture is the study of the
basic, the most general theoretical issues, determining the nature, structure and
characteristics of culture. Some works have approached the culture in the narrow
sense, including spiritual values, other works have approached the culture in the
broad sense, including human creative activities and the results of the activity which
is the material and spiritual values.
Some typical works include: "Primitive culture" by E.B.Tylor; "Concept and
notion of culture" by Tran Do; "Culture and innovation" by Pham Van Dong;
"Culture, some theoretical issues" by Truong Luu; "Culture and development" by Do
Huy…. In summary, researchers, cultural activists in the world as well as in Vietnam
have different cultural identities in terms of the width of the problem, the limits of the
range of systems, cultural field; in terms of composition, structure, characteristics of
culture, about the relationship between cultural studies and other sciences, not
different from the original, the background, the general, the general of culture.
* The study of cultural identity.
Typically some of the following works: "Finding about Vietnamese cultural
identity" by Tran Ngoc Them; "Vietnamese cultural identity" by Phan Ngoc;
"Culture, promoting identity and integration" by Nguyen Van Huyen; The project
"Preserving and promoting the national cultural identity - the role of research and
education" includes many articles of many the author mentioned the issue of culture
and national cultural identity; "The national cultural identity" by Ho Ba Tham;
"Ethnic identity and modernization of Vietnamese culture, some issues theory and
practice” by Thanh Duy …
All the articles and scientific works have analyzed quite deeply and
comprehensively the nature, content, role and position of the national cultural
identity, the problems faced by the cultural identity in the context of globalization,
accelerated industrialization, modernization and development of the socialist-oriented
market economy. Hence, they provide the scientific basis for planning and organizing
the implementation of contents in the view, guidelines and policies of cultural