TTLV: Conflicts in the process of reclaiming agricultural land use rights (Case study of a village in the Red River Delta)

INFORMATION ABOUT THE MASTER'S THESIS

1. Student's full name:Le Na                              

2. Gender: Female

3. Date of birth: September 25, 1987

4. Place of birth: Nghe An

5. Decision No. 3683/2015/QD-XHNV dated December 31, 2015, of the Rector of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi, recognizing the student.

6. Changes in the training process:

7. Thesis title:Conflicts in the process of reclaiming agricultural land use rights (Case study of a village in the Red River Delta)

8. Major: Anthropology Code: 60.31.03.02

9. Scientific supervisor:Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Van Suu

10. Summary of the thesis results:

This thesis is an anthropological study analyzing and explaining the conflicts that arise during the process of reclaiming agricultural land in a village in the Red River Delta. Applying a state-society relationship approach, the thesis examines the conflict in the process of agricultural land reclamation as an interaction between two entities: the State and the farmers. In this process, the State wants to reclaim agricultural land at a compensation level that farmers find inadequate, especially in the context of reclaiming a large area within a short period. Farmers want the State to increase compensation, retain a portion of the land for agricultural cultivation, and prolong the land reclamation period. To implement their strategy, farmers use various forms of public and even violent resistance. State agencies must use administrative, economic, and security measures to resolve the issue. Ultimately, practice shows that the State has had to change its initial policies in response to the people's reaction. Through examining the land acquisition process and the conflicts within it, my research reveals the economic, social, and political dimensions associated with agricultural land in an agricultural village during its transition from agriculture to non-agricultural sectors, and from rural to more urbanized areas in Vietnam during modernization. In particular, the thesis shows that land remains extremely important and valuable to Vietnamese farmers, and clearly demonstrates that current Vietnamese land law still has shortcomings that need further attention.

11. Practical applications:

This thesis identifies the perspectives of both the State and farmers in the process of agricultural land reclamation and the value and significance of agricultural land. The farmers' reactions serve as a basis for the State to adjust its policies on reclaiming agricultural land use rights to support the industrialization and modernization process.

12. Future research directions: None

13. Published works related to the thesis:

The report entitled “Conflicts in the Process of Reclaiming Agricultural Land Use Rights (Case Study of a Village in the Red River Delta)” was presented and printed in the proceedings of the Scientific Conference of Young Faculty Members, Graduate Students and Doctoral Candidates organized by the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi in 2016.

INFORMATION ON MASTER'S THESIS

1. Full name: Le Na 2. Sex: Female

3. Date of birth: September 25, 1987 4. Place of birth: Nghe An

5. Admission decision number: 3683/2015/QD-XHNV, on December 31^th, 2015 by Rector of University of Social Sciences and Humanities, VNU Hanoi

6. Changes in academic process:

7. Official thesis title: Conflicts in the process of agricultural land use right allocation (Case study of a village in the Red River Delta)

8. Major: Anthropology Code: 60.31.03.02

9. Supervisors: Assoc. Prof., Dr. Nguyen Van Suu

10. Summary of the findings of the thesis:

My MA thesis is an anthropological research that describes, analyzes and explains conflicts arising in the process of agricultural land use right allocation in a village in the Red River delta. Using the state and society relations approach, the research examines conflicts in the process of agricultural land appropriation to understand the interaction between the two entities that are the State authorities and the farmers. In this process, the State authorities wanted to appropriate agricultural land and compensate the farmers with the amount that do not satisfy them (the farmers), especially in the context in which the State authorities want to appropriate a large area of ​​the farmers' agricultural land in a short period of time. In contrast, the farmers in this village wanted the State authorities to pay them a higher level of economic compensation, and keep some area of ​​agricultural land for farming, and the appropriation of agricultural land should not be taken so quickly. In order to do so, they have used various were of public resistance, including violent acts. The State authorities have then used various administrative, economic and security means to tackle these issues. Finally, the realities as such have affected on the State's policies, forcing it to change its policies due to resistance from the farmers. Through this case study of agricultural land allocation and farmers' resistance, my research has shown that agricultural land has various economic, social and political values ​​and meanings to the farmers in a village in the Red River delta during the transformation from agricultural to a rural society to a more urbanized one. More importantly, my thesis has guaranteed that the State's Land law still has various problems to be tackled.

11. Practical applicability, if any:

The thesis highlights perspectives and actions of both the State authorities and the farmers in the process of agricultural land allocation. The research findings can be the foundation for policy adjustments on agricultural land for industrialization and modernization in Vietnam.

12. Further research directions, if any: Undefined

13. Thesis-related publications:

A research paper entitled “Conflicts in the process of agricultural land allocation: A case study in the Red River Delta's village” has been presented at the USSH conference for Young Scientists and published in a conference proceedings in 2016.