TY - JOUR
T1 - When development means political maturation
T2 - Adolescents as miniature communists in post-war and pre-reform Vietnam, 1975-1986
AU - Nguyen, Huong
PY - 2012
Y1 - 2012
N2 - In this study, I documented the conceptualization and representation of adolescence in Vietnam between the end of the Vietnam War and before Vietnam adopted the Western market economy. Using historical archives, especially newspapers written for and by adolescents, I argued that during this period, the Vietnamese society conceptualized life course development as a process through which an individual gains political maturity, which means the learning and practicing of communist doctrines. As such, adolescence was viewed between 1975 and 1986 as a political stage that prepares youths to become mature communists. Adolescents, therefore, were portrayed as miniature communists with norms, attitudes and behaviors shaped by communist doctrines. Adolescence was not associated with problem behavior or sexual maturation.
AB - In this study, I documented the conceptualization and representation of adolescence in Vietnam between the end of the Vietnam War and before Vietnam adopted the Western market economy. Using historical archives, especially newspapers written for and by adolescents, I argued that during this period, the Vietnamese society conceptualized life course development as a process through which an individual gains political maturity, which means the learning and practicing of communist doctrines. As such, adolescence was viewed between 1975 and 1986 as a political stage that prepares youths to become mature communists. Adolescents, therefore, were portrayed as miniature communists with norms, attitudes and behaviors shaped by communist doctrines. Adolescence was not associated with problem behavior or sexual maturation.
KW - Discourse
KW - Life course development
KW - Miniature communists
KW - Political maturity
KW - Vietnamese adolescents
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84874318966&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84874318966&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/1081602X.2012.715244
DO - 10.1080/1081602X.2012.715244
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84874318966
SN - 1081-602X
VL - 17
SP - 256
EP - 278
JO - History of the Family
JF - History of the Family
IS - 2
ER -