| The proposed paper is based on a case study specific to Viet
Nam, but would be of particular relevance to many other countries confronted with
advancing globalisation. The primary aim of this paper is to investigate the impact of
rapid social and economic development on the family, school and local community in Viet
Nam, with particular focus on the degradation of traditional knowledge/value systems. It
is recognised that cultural heritage provides the building blocks of a community’s
identity and is essential in its human and social development. In the face of
globalisation, there are concerns that these basic social patterns and structures are
increasingly under threat, thereby providing a catalyst for intergenerational conflict
within the family life and the local community. In light of this, the preservation of
intangible heritage becomes critical, and conflict resolution training is proposed as the
key to bridging the gap between traditional values and Western standards.
The target group is young people aged under 25, who have been identified as the most
affected population in the country’s globalisation process. Significantly, they are
the first generation ever, to be free from the stranglehold of war, but at the same time,
entangled and vulnerable to the rapid socio-economic changes taking place. |
