VIETNAMESE VILLAGES AND URBANIZATION IN CONTEMPORARY RURAL NOVELS

Abstract

The rapid urbanization process following the Doi Moi (Renovation) period has brought profound changes to rural life in Vietnam, leaving significant imprints on contemporary literature, especially rural-themed novels. Vietnamese villages, once symbols of stability and tradition, are now fraught with cultural conflicts and tension between old and new values, between identity and transformation. This paper examined several representative rural novels from the first two decades of the 21st century, highlighting how authors reflect the urbanization process’s impact on the Vietnamese village-not only in socio-economic structures but also in cultural depth and community consciousness. The study contributed to shedding light on the transformation of Vietnamese rural spaces in the current context of rural urbanization.