Vietnam is one of Southeast Asia¿s most dynamic but least understood countries, and interest in the country has surged in recent years. The Routledge Handbook of Contemporary Vietnam is a comprehensive resource that looks at the social, political, economic and cultural aspects of Vietnam today. Following an introduction that highlights major changes that have unfolded in the country in the last two decades, the book is divided into 4 thematic parts:

• Domestic Politics
• Economy
• Social institutions and social change
• Culture and social change

In the political field, chapters address key developments in Vietnam¿s mainline political institutions, from the Communist Party and the country¿s formally-representative system of councils and assemblies, to the role of the military and public security. It also looks at the rise of political competition that has unfolded in the country. In the economic section, the Handbook probes the development and transformation of Vietnam¿s economic institutions and its implications with respect to patterns of economic growth, industrialization and agrarian change. Parts 3 and 4 discuss the profound changes that Vietnam has experienced across all major social fields, including the education, health and legal sectors, the mass media, family life, gender and ethnic relations, and key media and artistic fields.

Written by an international team of scholars, the Handbook provides a cutting edge analysis on Vietnam¿s rapidly-changing engagement with the world. It is an invaluable interdisciplinary reference book of interest to students and academics of Southeast Asian Studies, as well as policymakers, analysts and anyone wishing to learn more about contemporary Vietnam.