TTLA: The landscape of prose literature on homosexuality in Vietnam from the beginning of the 20th century to the present.

Author's name: Le Thi Thuy

Thesis title:The landscape of prose literature on homosexuality in Vietnam from the beginning of the 20th century to the present.

Dissertation field: Literature

Major: Vietnamese Literature Code: 62 22 01 21

Name of the postgraduate training unit: University of Social Sciences and Humanities - Vietnam National University, Hanoi.

1. Purpose and scope of the thesis

- Purpose: Through surveying materials related to the issue of homosexuality in Vietnamese prose from the beginning of the 20th century to the present, we aim to reconstruct the appearance of homosexual prose in a comprehensive and systematic way, as well as discuss its reception in the current context. At the same time, we contribute to affirming the feasibility of a relatively new research direction in contemporary Vietnamese literature.

- Subject: This dissertation studies a body of modern Vietnamese prose (already published) belonging to two main modes: memoir and fiction, related to the theme of homosexuality.

- Scope of research: Narrative works including short stories, novels, memoirs, autobiographies, etc., from the beginning of the 20th century to the present. Works belonging to the urban literature of Southern Vietnam, works by Vietnamese writers abroad, and works of online literature are only mentioned as a source of information to further clarify the scientific conclusions, and are not the main subjects of study in this dissertation.

2. Research methods used

- The dissertation employs three main methods: the systems-structure method, the interdisciplinary research method, and the comparative method. These methods aim not only to clarify the achievements and limitations of homosexual prose within the rich flow of the genre but also to clarify its relationship with related scientific disciplines such as homosexuality studies, psychoanalysis, and sociology.

3. Main results and conclusions

3.1. Main results

- Theoretically: In addition to defining the meaning of certain concepts such as homosexuality, queer, and homosexual sensibility, the thesis has summarized issues related to homosexuality theory (also known as dysmorphic theory) along with other related theories such as lesbian feminism and psychoanalytic theory.

- In practical terms:

Firstly, the thesis contributes to adding a new research direction on contemporary Vietnamese prose – a research direction based on homogeneity (discordance) theory.

Secondly, from an epistemological perspective: The dissertation not only has certain value in evaluating the issue of homosexuality from a sociological, psychoanalytic, anthropological, and cultural standpoint, but also contributes to adjusting some perceptions in social management.

3.2. Conclusion

ButFirst,Prose on the theme of homosexuality has always been considered marginal, sensitive, and complex literature. Studying this genre from a literary history perspective is a way to sift through the "fragments" of the past that have not received adequate attention.

ButSecondExploring both broad and specific perspectives, prose on homosexuality from the beginning of the 20th century to the present has clearly demonstrated distinctive features influenced by the socio-cultural characteristics of each period.

ButThird isThe 1986 Renovation period truly marked a new trajectory for prose on the subject of homosexuality, "from disguised forms to openly confessional autobiographies."

ButFourth isThe reception of prose on the theme of homosexuality reveals the internal dynamics and dialectics of contemporary social life, including issues of attitudes, relationships, and methods.

ButThe year isA flexible and dynamic understanding of gay literature is essential for envisioning this still-debated and nascent genre of prose.

SUMMARY OF DOCTORAL THESIS

The author's name: Le Thi Thuy

Thesis title:The appearance of prose which writes about the topic of homosexuality in Vietnam from the beginning of 20^thfrom century to the present time.

Scientific branch of the thesis: Literature

Major: Vietnamese Literature Code: 62 22 01 21

The name of postgraduate training institution: University of Social Sciences and Humanities - Vietnam National University.

1. Thesis purpose and objectives

- Purpose: through surveying the data related to the matter of homosexuality in Vietnam's prose from the beginning of 20^thcentury to the present time, we trend to re-make up the appearance of homosexuality prose by a complete and systematic view as well as discuss how to accept it in the present time. Also, affirming the considerations of relatively new study trend of contemporary Vietnamese Literature.

- Object: this thesis studies the modern Vietnamese prose (as published) under two main methods named: chronicle and imagination in reference to the homosexuality.

- Study scope: The narrative works consists of: short stories, novels, memoirs, autobiography etc… from the beginning of 20^thcentury to the present time. The works of Southern urban literature, the works by the Vietnamese writers in foreign countries as well as the works of online literature only mentioned as a reference information which only clarifies more the scientific conclusions but is not this thesis's main object.

2. Research methods

- This thesis has applied 3 main study methods: method of system- structure, method of inter-sector study and comparative method. In addition to clarifying the achievements as well as restrictions of homosexual prose in the flow of various genres, these methods also clarify the homosexual prose's connection with close sciences such as: homosexual studies, Psychoanalysis, sociology etc….

3. Major results and conclusions

3.1. The major results

- As to the theory: In addition to introducing the connotation of some definitions such as: homosexuality, queer, homosexual perception etc…, this Dissertation has re-summarized the matters of homosexual theory (also called as dephasing theory) as well as some other theories in relevance to the theory of lesbian, psychoanalysis.

- As to the practices:

+ Firstly, this Dissertation contributes to add one more new study direction in terms of Vietnam's contemporary prose- the study direction from the theory of homosexuality (dephasing).

+ Secondly, regarding the epistemology: this Dissertation not only has the certain value in evaluating the matter of LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender) in terms of sociological aspect, psychoanalysis, anthropology and culture, but also adjusts some consciousnesses in the social management.

3.2. Conclusions

- The first,the prose of homosexuality topic is normally considered as the peripheral, sensitive and complicated prose. Studying this type from the aspect of literary history is one way to sort out “pieces” in the past that have not been satisfactorily interested yet.

- The second,upon developing in views of both overall and detail, the prose of homosexuality topic from the 20^thcentury to the present time has already obviously demonstrated the particulars due to the effect of social cultural features in each period of time.

- The third, the Renovation landmark in 1986 really marked the new route of the homosexual prose, “from the disguising forms to the confessed publicly autobiographies”.

- The fourth,accepting the prose of homosexuality topic has pointed out the internal movements and theics of modern social life with the matters of dialect, relations and manners.

- The fifth,one soft, flexible and motive conception in terms of the homosexual prose is one necessary preparation for imagination and so that the prose is still with many debates and is still the beginning.