Paper short abstract:

This article explores how the concept of NGOs is manifested by international donors and the state in Vietnam where civil society may not be understood in Western liberal terms. This paper aims at a better conceptual understanding of local NGOs within Vietnam's socio-political context.

Paper long abstract:

Since Vietnam's 1986 national economic reforms, Doi Moi, the country has adopted open-door policies in various sectors. Civil society has benefited from greater socioeconomic freedoms, and the number of local non-governmental organizations (NGO)s has increased, with many of these organizations engaging in development projects. On the other hand, the country's constitution still designates the Communist Party of Vietnam as the only legitimate party. Within this political context, how is the concept of civil society, particularly including local NGOs, manifested by external development agencies and the state of Vietnam? This study starts by looking at the perspectives of development agencies on civil society development; these perspectives are mainly a blend of liberal democratic and neoliberal approaches. Next, I scrutinize the state's practices and perceptions. Throughout this conceptual exploration, two points are key: (1) Development agencies and the state are inclined to perceive local NGOs as intermediaries that can effectively reach out to local people when it comes to services and projects; some donors advocate liberal democratic values and neoliberal ideas and support Vietnamese NGOs, but they are hesitant to promote those values within Vietnam. (2) The state is ambivalent about civil society. The state has co-opted the emergence of civil society: it provides the legal basis for associations and their activities, but it still puts them under the state's control, due to concerns that autonomous civil society might prove a site for contesting politically sensitive agendas.