Understanding the lived experiences and identities of young rural

227 Pages·2016·9.25 MB·English

by  Thi Dang

Understanding the lived experiences and identities of young rural to urban
migrant workers in Vietnam
Thi Thanh Thao Dang
MA in Community Development
BA in English

A thesis submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at
The University of Queensland in 2016
School of Social Science
Abstract
Internal migration is the migration from one location to another within a country. Migration
from a rural to an urban area is typically part of the urbanisation process. It is considered a
livelihood strategy and poverty reduction solution for many people in medium- and low-income
countries such as China, Indonesia, and Vietnam to name a few. In Vietnam, rural to urban
migration has increased steadily over the past few decades. Greater numbers of young people in
particular have migrated out of villages to find jobs in towns and cities. There are growing concerns
about the social life and working conditions of such young migrant workers, and how these
experiences shape their emerging identities during early adulthood. However, there is little in-depth
empirical understanding about the lived experiences of young internal migrants.
This thesis contributes to our understanding of the lived social and work experiences of
young Vietnamese people who migrate from the countryside to the city for work. These experiences
are important in themselves as well as an important contextualisation of how young Vietnamese
migrants form and reconstruct their identities in the new urban context. Given the purpose of the
study is to provide an in-depth understanding of the experiences and identities of young migrants,
this research employed a qualitative research approach using three data collection techniques
namely, participant interviews, adapted photovoice and field observation. Photovoice is an
innovative research method developed by Wang and Burries (1997), which involves the participants
taking photos and then discussing them with the researcher. The study was conducted in the city of
Hanoi, Vietnam, with twenty young migrant workers, aged 18 to 24 years, who had migrated to
Hanoi for work one-to-four years earlier. Thematic analysis of the data was undertaken applying
three concepts of habitus, field, and capital from Bourdieu’s theory of practice to analyse the data to
enable an understanding of the themes of work and living experiences, and the identities of the
participants.
The young people in this study left their villages for the city with a hope for better jobs,
better incomes, and to build better lives and better futures; however, their lives also involved
hardships and difficulties. Due to a lack of skills, qualifications, and work experience, most
participants were employed in unskilled employment sectors that offered low pay and harsh
conditions, and involved a lack of opportunity for career development and advancement. Social
capital, in the form of social networks, was very important in connecting young people to their jobs,
accommodation, and other opportunities in the city. In addition, their economic resources, together
with social resources, played a prominent role in shaping the experiences and social and material
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outcomes of their migration. Work constituted an important part of life for all participants, as it not
only gave them money to cover their living expenses, but, more importantly, it enabled them to
become socially and economically independent. Most participants experienced an improvement in
their economic capital, resulting in an enhancement of their social and economic independence,
autonomy, and social standing. Their working and living experiences as migrant workers in the city
influenced the ways in which the participants constructed and reconfigured their self-identities, both
strategically and unconsciously. They developed their sense of self-independence, self-esteem, and
belonging, and shaped new worldviews in the context of ‘trans-local living’ between their rural
home and the city.
This thesis contributes to the scholarship on internal migration in developing countries
through its in-depth and detailed insights into the lives of young migrants: their living and work
experiences, and changing identities as perceived by themselves. These insights help to give an
understanding of their needs and challenges. Methodologically, it contributes a new approach to
inquiry into personal experiences by combining traditional, qualitative participant interview and
observation with the photovoice method. The adapted photovoice method used in this study
provided more depth and nuance to the communicated experiences of the participants, and also
helped to develop a rapport and connection with the participants during and after fieldwork. In
practical terms, the results from this study provide useful information for future intervention
programs and projects to promote a meaningful life and decent jobs for young migrants in Vietnam
and other developing countries of similar context.

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Declaration by author

This thesis is composed of my original work, and contains no material previously published or
written by another person except where due reference has been made in the text. I have clearly
stated the contribution by others to jointly-authored works that I have included in my thesis.

I have clearly stated the contribution of others to my thesis as a whole, including statistical
assistance, survey design, data analysis, significant technical procedures, professional editorial
advice, and any other original research work used or reported in my thesis. The content of my thesis
is the result of work I have carried out since the commencement of my research higher degree
candidature and does not include a substantial part of work that has been submitted to qualify for
the award of any other degree or diploma in any university or other tertiary institution. I have
clearly stated which parts of my thesis, if any, have been submitted to qualify for another award.

I acknowledge that an electronic copy of my thesis must be lodged with the University Library and,
subject to the policy and procedures of The University of Queensland, the thesis be made available
for research and study in accordance with the Copyright Act 1968 unless a period of embargo has
been approved by the Dean of the Graduate School.

I acknowledge that copyright of all material contained in my thesis resides with the copyright
holder(s) of that material. Where appropriate I have obtained copyright permission from the
copyright holder to reproduce material in this thesis.

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Publications during candidature
Dang T. (2015). In search of a better future: Aspirations and challenges for young rural to migrants:
a case study in Hanoi, Vietnam in Theresa Petray and Anne Stephens (eds) Proceedings of The
Australian Sociological Association Conference, Cairns, 23-26 November 2015. ISBN: 978-0-646-
94798-3.

Publications included in this thesis
No publications included.

Contributions by others to the thesis
No contributions by others.

Statement of parts of the thesis submitted to qualify for the award of another degree
None.

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Acknowledgements
There are many people that I would like to thank for their contributions during my
candidature. I would like to thank my supervisors, Associate Professor Paul Henman, Dr Peter
Westoby, and Dr Dianna Hafner, for their guidance, support, and encouragement during my
candidature. I am enormously grateful to Paul for his immense knowledge and his insightful
comments on all of my work, from beginning to end of this thesis preparation. here is not single
draft of my thesis that Paul has not read. His encouragement and belief in my ability helped me
through the tough times of my candidature. Thank you to Peter for his challenging comments and
for introducing me to Bourdieu and the photovoice method, which importantly framed this thesis
conceptually and methodologically. I would also like to thank Diana for her kind support and
guidance: in particular, her expertise on the ethnographic research approach was of great help in my
study.
I would also like to give special thanks to Associate Professor Michele Foster and Associate
Professor Cheryl Tilse in the School of Social Work and Human Services for their wonderful thesis
preparation workshops. My research skills and critical thinking have been significantly developed
and strengthened through these highly intellectual yet friendly workshops.
I would especially like to thank my family for their support during the four and a half years
that I undertook this research project. A special thank you to my husband, Aman, for always being
with me; your support and belief carried me through some critical periods in my candidature. I
particularly thank my son, Riyan, for bringing me joy and happiness, which helped me switch off
and gave me balance between research and life.
Importantly, I would like to thank the Government of Vietnam and The University of
Queensland for providing me the scholarship that enabled this thesis. I would also like to thank the
School of Social Work and Human Services and the School of Social Science for providing me
travel grants to conduct my fieldwork and attend conferences.
Finally, I would like to acknowledge the contribution of the twenty young migrants who
participated in this study. Without their willingness to share their experiences and stories, this thesis
would not be possible.

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Keywords
youth migration, identity, rural to urban migration, capital, experiences, employment, Vietnam

Australian and New Zealand Standard Research Classifications (ANZSRC)

ANZSRC code: 160303: Migration, 50%
ANZSRC code: 169903 Studies of Asian Society 30%
ANZSRC code: 160810 Urban Sociology and Community Studies, 20%

Fields of Research (FoR) Classification

FoR code: 1608, Sociology, 40%
FoR code: 1603, Demography, 40%
FoR code: 1699, Other studies in human society, 20%
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Abstract ......................................................................................................................... i
Declaration by author ................................................................................................ iii
Acknowledgements ...................................................................................................... v
List of Table ................................................................................................................ ix
List of Figure ............................................................................................................... ix
List of Abbreviation used in the thesis ...................................................................... x
Chapter 1. Introduction .............................................................................................. 1
1.1 Introduction ........................................................................................................................... 1
1.2 Rationale of the study ............................................................................................................ 4
1.3 Research aims and research questions ................................................................................... 6
1.4 Significance of the study ....................................................................................................... 7
1.5 Research context.................................................................................................................... 9
1.5.1 Internal migration in Vietnam: the historical and contemporary situation ................................ 9
1.5.2 Policy context of internal migration in Vietnam ..................................................................... 11
1.6 Structure for the Thesis ....................................................................................................... 13
Chapter 2. Literature Review................................................................................... 17
2.1 Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 17
2.2 An overview of rural to urban migration in Asia and Southeast Asian region ................... 17
2.3 Rural to urban migration in Vietnam .................................................................................. 21
2.3.1 Youth rural to urban migration in Vietnam .................................................................................... 27
2.4 Approaches to understanding migrant identity ................................................................... 30
2.4.1 International migration and identity ............................................................................................... 30
2.4.2 Approaches to understanding “identity” in the context of trans-local migration ........................... 32
2.4.3 A youth framework to understand identities of young migrants .................................................... 37
2.5 Conclusion ........................................................................................................................... 39
Chapter 3. Conceptual framework .......................................................................... 41
3.1 Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 41
3.2 Bourdieu’s key concepts: habitus, field, and capital ........................................................... 43
3.2.1 Habitus ............................................................................................................................................ 43
3.2.2 Field ................................................................................................................................................ 46
3.2.3 Capital ............................................................................................................................................. 49
3.3 Applying Bourdieu’s conceptual framework to understanding the lived experiences and
identities of young migrant workers in Vietnam ............................................................................ 52
3.4 Conclusion .......................................................................................................................... 55
Chapter 4. Methodology ........................................................................................... 57
4.1 Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 57
4.2 Qualitative research approach ............................................................................................. 57
4.3 Methods of data collection and their rationale .................................................................... 57
4.3.1 Phase 1. In-depth interview ..................................................................................................... 58
4.3.2 Phase 2. Adapted photovoice ................................................................................................... 60
4.3.3 Field observation ..................................................................................................................... 62
4.4 Sample ................................................................................................................................. 63
4.4.1 Research site ............................................................................................................................ 63
4.4.2 Recruitment ............................................................................................................................. 65
4.4.3 Participants’ profiles ................................................................................................................ 66
4.5 Data management ................................................................................................................ 68
4.5.1 Data Transcription ................................................................................................................... 68
4.5.2 Organisation of photovoice data .............................................................................................. 68
4.5.3 Field observation journal ......................................................................................................... 68
4.6 Analysis ............................................................................................................................... 69
4.6.1 Analytical processes of the empirical materials ...................................................................... 69
4.7 Rigour .................................................................................................................................. 71
4.8 Ethics ................................................................................................................................... 72
4.8.1 Informed consent ..................................................................................................................... 72
4.8.2 Ethical implications ................................................................................................................. 72
4.9 Limitations of the research methods ................................................................................... 74
4.10 Reflexivity ........................................................................................................................... 74
4.11 Conclusion ........................................................................................................................... 75
Chapter 5. The living experiences of young rural to urban migrant workers .... 71
5.1 Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 71
5.2 Housing conditions and their implications on social life and wellbeing of young migrant
workers ........................................................................................................................................... 72
5.2.1 Renting .................................................................................................................................... 73
5.2.2 Living at the employers’ residences ........................................................................................ 82
5.2.3 Living at work sites ................................................................................................................. 84
5.2.4 Living with relatives ................................................................................................................ 86
5.2.5 Implications of new accommodation arrangements ................................................................ 88
5.3 Social relationships.............................................................................................................. 90
5.3.1 Friendships .............................................................................................................................. 90
5.3.2 Collegiality .............................................................................................................................. 94
5.3.3 Social interaction with local residents and local community .................................................. 95
5.3.4 Discussion of social relationships of young migrants ............................................................. 96
5.4 Other leisure activities ......................................................................................................... 98
5.4.1 Using mobile phones ............................................................................................................... 98
5.4.2 Using computers and the internet .......................................................................................... 101
5.5 The emotional experiences ................................................................................................ 102
5.5.1 Freedom versus loneliness ..................................................................................................... 102