Policing in a Changing Vietnam: Towards a Global Account of Policing

This book explores police cultures and practices in Vietnam, challenging assumptions that police are apolitical and defer to legalistic approaches. It highlights that variations in policing must be understood as separate practices and traditions from which the Global North may learn. It contributes to ongoing debates on police culture and socialization and appeals to students and scholars of criminology, policing, gender studies, sociology, politics, law, and those interested in understanding the experiences and views of the Vietnamese police.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 168 pages
Publication date: 30 December 2022
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

Knowledge about policing has been produced and disseminated unevenly, resulting in a skewed emphasis on the Anglo-American experience. This book aims to rectify this by undertaking an original and comprehensive study of policing in Vietnam, while also engaging with a Southern Criminological framework. By examining police cultures and practices in a postcolonial, post-Confucian, transitioning economy, the book challenges assumptions that police are (purportedly) apolitical, averse to tertiary education, and defer to legalistic approaches to policing and law enforcement. It highlights that the variations identified in policing in Vietnam must be understood as significant separate practices and traditions of policing from which the Global North may have something to learn.

Contributing to ongoing debates on police culture and socialization, the book explores the assumptions about relationships between the police, political systems, broad societal cultures, legal frameworks, organizations, communities, and gender. An accessible and compelling read, this book will appeal to students and scholars of criminology, policing, gender studies, sociology, politics, law, and all those who are interested in understanding the experiences and views of the Vietnamese police.

The book begins by providing an overview of policing in Vietnam, including its historical development, legal framework, and organizational structure. It then delves into the specific cultural and social contexts that shape policing in Vietnam, such as the influence of Confucianism, the legacy of colonization, and the challenges of economic development.

The book identifies both similarities and differences in policing and police culture in Vietnam with those found in the dominant literature from the Global North. It challenges the assumption that the Global North is the norm and that policing practices in other regions must be deviations from it. Instead, it emphasizes that the variations identified in policing in Vietnam must be understood as significant separate practices and traditions of policing from which the Global North may have something to learn.

One of the key findings of the book is that the Vietnamese police are not apolitical or averse to tertiary education. Instead, they are deeply embedded in the political system and have a strong commitment to social justice and community engagement. The book also highlights the importance of gender in policing in Vietnam, with women playing a significant role in both traditional and modern policing practices.

The book explores the assumptions about relationships between the police, political systems, broad societal cultures, legal frameworks, organizations, communities, and gender. It challenges the notion that these relationships are static and unchanging and instead emphasizes the dynamic and complex nature of these relationships. The book argues that the police must be responsive to the needs and concerns of the communities they serve and that they must work collaboratively with other stakeholders to address social and economic challenges.

In conclusion, Policing in a Changing Vietnam is a valuable contribution to the literature on policing and police culture. It provides a comprehensive and nuanced understanding of policing in a postcolonial, post-Confucian, transitioning economy. By challenging assumptions and highlighting the unique practices and traditions of policing in Vietnam, the book contributes to ongoing debates on police culture and socialization. It will appeal to students and scholars of criminology, policing, gender studies, sociology, politics, law, and all those who are interested in understanding the experiences and views of the Vietnamese police.

Weight: 344g
Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780367627881