TTLA: Customary law of the Co Tu people on the use and protection of natural resources in Tay Giang district, Quang Nam province.

1. Full name of the researcher: Phan Thi Hoan.2. Gender: Female

3. Date of birth: 08/03/1983                           4. Place of birth: Nghe An

5. Decision to recognize PhD students of the Rector of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi No.: 2999/2013/QD-XHNV-SDH, December 30, 2013.

6. Changes in the training process:

- Change the title of the doctoral thesis: from "Religion and beliefs of the Co-tu people in Quang Nam province" to "Local knowledge on the use and protection of natural resources of the Co-tu people in Tay Giang district, Quang Nam province (Approach from the perspective of customary law) - According to Decision No. 946/QD-SDH dated May 9, 2014.

- Change of doctoral thesis supervisor: According to Decision No. 3217/QD-XHNV dated April 27, 2016 on changing supervisor: Associate Professor, Dr. Nguyen Ngoc Thanh as independent supervisor (Associate Professor, Dr. Le Si Giao stopped supervising).

- Extend the study period by 12 months (January 1, 2017 - December 31, 2017): according to Decision No. 4619/QD-XHNV dated December 29, 2016.

- Adjusting the title of the doctoral thesis: According to Decision No. 3219/QD-XHNV dated December 4, 2017: the old title "Local knowledge on the use and protection of natural resources of the Co-tu people in Tay Giang district, Quang Nam province (Approach from the perspective of customary law), the new title "Customary law of the Co-tu people on the use and protection of natural resources in Tay Giang district, Quang Nam province".

7. Thesis topic name:Customary law of the Co Tu people on the use and protection of natural resources in Tay Giang district, Quang Nam province.

8. Major:Ethnology.9. Code: 62 22 70 01

10. Scientific instructor:Assoc.Prof.Dr. Nguyen Ngoc Thanh.

11. Summary of new results of the thesis:

- The literature review shows that there are still few studies on customary law existing in the form of social practice - a type of customary law that still exists quite commonly in ethnic minority communities in Vietnam. With the view that this type of customary law has disappeared or has become outdated, the application of national policies on resource management often ignores community rules in the use and protection of natural resources.

- The thesis shows that the Co Tu people's previous customary law on the use and protection of natural resources plays a role in regulating the relationship between members inside and outside the village community. In tradition, this customary law is based on a rich knowledge base about flora and fauna, land, etc.; because the village institution is the highest political and social organization and is based on the worldview of "all things have animism". This worldview is the driving force that guides the behavior of members in the use and protection of natural resources.

- Integration into a unified nation, the emergence of a national resource management mechanism and state development policies have changed the economic, political, social and cultural structure of the Co Tu community in the research area. Customary law has changed from a formal institution to an informal institution in the context of state law. Changes in spatial organization, livelihoods and society have changed the rules on the use and protection of natural resources of local people. Some rules still exist, especially the rules on forest protection, but there are also rules that have faded or disappeared.

- For the Co Tu community in the research area, customary law is not a rigid and imposed rule, but a behavioral standard based on the worldview of “all things are animistic”, which is respected and voluntarily followed by community members. It is also not an immutable rule but fluctuates and changes over time according to certain historical, economic-political-social contexts and still exists in today's society. That process also reflects the cultural transformation and adaptation of the local community.

- In the face of the trend of community-based resource management, the development of market economy and the integration trend, the customary law of local communities has opportunities and faces challenges when integrating into the State's resource management institutions to achieve the goal of harmonizing sustainable development for local communities and overall sustainable development for the country.

12. Practical application:The thesis provides a basis for authorities at all levels to better understand the position and role of customary law in natural resource management and community development, thereby contributing to the protection of natural resources and promoting sustainable development of the Co Tu community in Tay Giang district in general and the Co Tu community in Vietnam in particular; contributing to the preservation and promotion of ethnic cultural values.

13. Further research directions:

Faced with the need for sustainable community-based resource management, it is necessary to continue studying the community's adaptive capacity in the context of climate change as well as integration and globalization. In addition, to promote development from the internal strength of local communities, it is necessary to study to enhance the community's learning capacity through access to cultural capital.

14. Published works related to the thesis:

1. Phan Thi Hoan (2015), “Preserving and promoting traditional ecological knowledge of the Co Tu people in Quang Nam”,Magazine Central Social Sciences(4), pp.46-55.

2. Phan Thi Hoan (2016), “Culture of behavior towards the natural environment through theoretical and methodological points of ecological anthropology”,Magazine Central Social Sciences(3), pp.36-43.

3. Phan Thi Hoan (2018), “Convention on forest resource protection: the case of the Co Tu people's forbidden forest in Tay Giang district, Quang Nam”,Magazine Central Social Sciences(1), pp. 40-50.

INFORMATION ON DOCTORAL THESIS

1. Full name:Phan Thi Hoan 2. Sex: Female

3. Date of birth: 8 March 1983 4. Place of birth: Listening to An province

5. Admission decision number: 2999/2013/QD-XHNV-SDH, 30 December 2013 by the Rector of VNU University of Social Sciences and Humanities.

6. Changes in academic process:

- Changing in thesis title, from “Religion, belief of Co-tu people in Quang Nam” to “Local knowledge of Co-tu people in using and protecting of natural resources in Tay Giang district, Quang Nam province (customary law approach)”, according to the admission decision number 946/QD-SDH, dated May 9, 2014.

- Changing in the supervisor: Ass.Prof.Nguyen Ngoc Thanh for Ass.Prof.Le Si Giao, according to the admission decision number 3217/QD-XHNV, dated April 27, 2016.

- Extending the study period in 12 months (January 1, 2017 - December 31, 2017), according to the admission decision number 4619/QD-XHNV, dated December 29, 2016.

- Adjusting the thesis title, from “Local knowledge of Co-tu people in using and protecting of natural resources in Tay Giang district, Quang Nam province (customary law approach)”, to “Customary law of Co-tu people on utilization and protection of natural resources in Tay Giang district, Quang Nam province”, according to the admission decision number 3219/QD-XHNV, dated December 4, 2017.

7. Official thesis title:Customary law of Co-tu people on the utilization and protection of natural resources in Tay Giang district, Quang Nam province.

8. Major:Ethnology9. Code: 62 31 03 10

10. Supervisor: Ass.Professor, Doctor: Nguyen Ngoc Thanh

11. Summary of the new findings of the thesis:

- The literature review shows that there are still few studies of customary law in the form of social practice - a type of customary law still prevalent in ethnic minority communities in Vietnam. With the view that this type of law has disappeared or has become obsolete, the adoption of a national policy on resource management often ignores community rules in the use and protection of natural resources

- The thesis shows that in the context of traditional villages in Tay Giang district, Quang Nam province, customary laws on natural resource use and protection play a critical role in regulating the relationship between members within and outside the villages. The customary law which relies on diversified knowledge of animals and plants, on villages as the highest social-political institution and relies on the animism worldview. This worldview is the driving force behind the behavior of members in the use and protection of natural resources.

- The integration of national system and the implementation of development policies effect on local social-political-economic system. The customary law has become informal institution in the context of national law - formal institution. These changes cause the rules on using and protecting natural resources. The existence of rules on the use and protection of natural resources in the study area shows that customary law continues to play a role in community life. Typically the rules for the protection of the sacred forest. Besides, there are also rules that have faded, even lost, such as the rule of limited scope of access between villages, the use of tools.

- For the Co-tu community in the field of study, customary law is not a rigidly enforced regulation, but rather a norm of behavior based on the world-view of “animism” which is community members respect and obey. Customary law is not a constant rule. It has a movement, change over time depending on the historical, socio-political and social context and still exists in the present society. The process also reflects the cultural transformation and adaptation of the local community.

- In line with the trend of sustainable resource management, as well as the development of the market economy and integrated trends, customary law of local community faces opportunities and challenges when integrating into the State's management of natural resources. This combination aims to achieve the goal of harmony between sustainable development for local communities and sustainable development for the nation.

12. Practical applicability:The thesis provides the evidence to the government to show that customary law of local community has a critical role in natural resources management and community development. Hence, it can contribute to the natural resources protection and cultural preservation in Co-tu people in Tay Giang district.

13. Future research directions:

In the context of sustainable community-based natural resources management, it is necessary to do further research on the community's ability to adapt to climate change. Besides, the research that promotes community capacity of active learning needs to be done to develop the community from the inside.

14. Thesis-related publications:

- Phan Thi Hoan (2015), “Conserving and enhancing the Cotu ethnics' traditional ecological knowledge in Quang Nam”,Social Sciences of the central region Review(4), pp. 46-55.

- Phan Thi Hoan (2016), “On cultural behavior to natural environment - some theories and methods in eco-anthropology”,Social Sciences of the central region Review(3), pp.36-43.

- Phan Thi Hoan (2018), “Rules for protecting forests: a case study of the Cotu ethnics' sacred forests in Tay Giang, Quang Nam”,Social Sciences of the central region Review(1), pp. 40-50.