From September to November 2024, Yale University welcomes Dr. Truong Thi Thu Hang, Dean of the Faculty of Anthropology at VNUHCM-University of Social Sciences and Humanities through the USAID Partnership for Higher Education Reform’s Visiting Scholar Program (VSP). 

With her expertise in Anthropology of development and Anthropology theories, Dr. Hang’s current research encompasses local ecological knowledge of ethnic peoples in national parks in Vietnam;  and innovative farming transformations, agritourism among agricultural communities in the Mekong Delta and Lam Dong province, and sensory ethnography in tourism research.

While at Yale University, Dr. Hang’s publication plan includes an article titled “Forest to Live / Forest to Manage: Knowledges, Narratives, and Actions in Nui Chua National Park, Vietnam”, which explores the disparities between the practices and expressions of local populations and the discourses disseminated by experts and managers in natural protected areas (NPAs) in Vietnam. Her ethnographic studies provide insights into the contrasting conceptions of the forest held by the Raglai indigenous people and the Nui Chua National Park’s managers, highlighting the need for meaningful dialogue to reconcile these divergent worldviews. “I hope to facilitate exchanges and negotiations that respect the well-being of local populations while ensuring the sustainability of natural protected areas” – said Dr. Hang.

During her term at Yale, Dr. Hang will collaborate with Prof. Erik Harms – acting chair of the Department of anthropology, on organizing an international conference on Anthropology in Vietnam in 2026, to celebrate 20 years of the field of Anthropology in the country: “The VSP is an opportunity for me to make direct and collaborative discussions with Prof Erik Harms in order to make preparation for this significant conference. It has been two decades now and we need to make a retrospective look of what has undergone in the field, theoretically and methodologically,  and what is expected next.”

Through the Visiting Scholar Program, Dr. Hang will not only contribute to the field of Anthropology in Vietnam but also open up long-term cooperation opportunities for the research community at her home institution.

The Visiting Scholar Program (VSP) under the USAID Partnership for Higher Education Reform project supports scholars from (1) Vietnam National University, (2) the University of Danang, and (3) Vietnam National University – Ho Chi Minh City. The goal is to improve the research and teaching capacity of scholars across Vietnam while expanding partnerships with higher education institutions in the United States. In the Summer and Fall of 2024, the VSP will send a total of 21 scholars from Vietnam’s three major public university systems to host institutions in the United States for academic research and exchange experiences.