Local Sustainable Development in Vietnam: Approaches, Practices and Policy Implications

Abstract

This article analyses various theoretical issues related to development, including the concept of development, development approaches, local development, and development practices in Vietnam. It argues that local development must, first and foremost, be development in the locality and for the locality, but not necessarily development entirely of or by the locality. Instead, local development has diverse dynamics, including development from below, development from above, and a combination of both. Local sustainable development policies should encourage development from below, leverage the advantages of hybrid development from below and above, selectively utilise development from above, and recognise the role of anthropologists.