Cultural Changes of Ethnic Minorities in Vietnam - Laos Border Area during the Process of Development and Integration

Abstract

In the last few decades, cultural change of ethnic minorities in the border areas in general, of those living in the border between Vietnam and Laos in particular, has become inevitable in the development and integration process. Several studies have contributed to identifying cultural changes of ethnic minorities therein due to the mutual impacts among interspersed ethnic groups in the region and across the border. The preservation and promotion of traditional material and spiritual cultural values of these ethnic groups in the current context are emphasized as well. The paper provides an literature review of this subject over the past decades, from which indicating a research gap and proposing some orientations in the coming future.