Organizational responses to urban migration in Ho Chi Minh City : adapting to the challenges of a highly regulated environment

Abstract

This thesis examines the operational environment for social organizations working to address the challenges facing Ho Chi Minh City's increasing migrant population. After Vietnam introduced sweeping economic reforms in 1986, the country began to experience rapid industrialization and urbanization. Ho Chi Minh City has since emerged as the country's financial hub, and it finds itself at the epicenter of a significant population shift and the destination of a large number of migrants seeking economic opportunity. This thesis seeks to uncover the difficulties that arise from Vietnam's urban migration by exploring the challenges facing the migrant community in Ho Chi Minh City. It further analyzes how migrant needs may or may not be addressed by existing social organizations. Given Ho Chi Minh City's unique political environment, how does this highly regulated environment influence the social activities of local non-profit organizations and how do such organizations adapt to these challenges in order to meet the needs of migrant workers? This research clarifies the inequalities that emerge from urban migration and the importance of social organizations to address the pressing needs that arise from these shifting dynamics. This thesis suggests that Vietnam's unique operational environment presents added challenges to addressing these issues. In light of global migration and urbanization trends, Vietnam still has far to go in its development, and how the state chooses to interact with these organizations may determine the success of its progress.