Global Vietnam: Gender, Labour and Migration
HUMN2004/6004 - 17 Nov - 3 Dec, 2025 (Spring Session)
Course convener: Leslie Barnes

Global Vietnam is a two-week intensive field school that offers students the opportunity to experience first-hand the interconnected issues of gender, labour and migration in contemporary Vietnam from a broad cultural studies perspective. The course is based in Hanoi and, in addition to offering basic language and cultural awareness instruction, draws upon expertise from ANU staff, local academics and NGO staff.

“Being able to witness in-country the issues we 
were discussing in class gave me vital insight
into the course material and my studies
generally. This course has fundamentally
changed my perspective and developed my
critical thinking.”

--Darcey Hoyle, 2nd year, Gender studies

The broad themes of the course will be engaged through the study of specific topics (e.g., factory work; marriage migration; human trafficking; development and sustainability; youth, gender identity and social mobility/displacement) from multiple disciplinary perspectives (e.g., cultural studies, sociology, gender studies, anthropology, the fine arts). Though the focus will be on the contemporary period, we will endeavour throughout to situate the  course themes and discussions in a historical perspective.

Watch Global Vietnam Information Session (27 March).mp4

Students will only be permitted to travel upon completion of ANU required documentation, including, where required, the travel to a high risk destination form and the approval of all documentation by the relevant delegate.

“It encouraged us to be critical of the world around us
and the different systems of power that exist, while
opening our eyes to the knowledge held within Vietnamese
culture and history.”

--Catherine Gill, International relations and Asian studies

Disclaimer: Applicants are advised that due to circumstances beyond the University's control (for example, specific international security concerns and international health crises) it may not be possible for students to commence or complete this course as advertised.