Stability and Change in Vietnam

DRC Sponsor: John Moeller

One of the many 2019 Luther College Paideia 450 January-Term (J-Term) course offerings, Stability and Change in Vietnam provided faculty and students with the opportunity to learn about the changes occurring in developing nations; how rapid modernization has affected the country both in the positive and negative; how modern communism is functioning as a governing system, and the overall experience of day-to-day life in a different country and culture. Dr. Steve Holland, Professor of Economics and DRC member and Political Science Emeritus John Moeller will offer their experiences and insights into this amazing trip abroad.

The course participants began their exploration of Vietnam in Ho Chi Minh City to experience the changing country in the form of a modern commercial city. They traveled to the Mekong Delta, a world of waterways, farming, and rural charm, resting on the South China Sea. Follow-on travel took the group to the center of Vietnam to visit historical sites, eat traditional food, and learn more about the Vietnamese culture. The trip culminated in visits to Hanoi and Halong Bay.

Student reflections of the journey as it occured are available in the corresponding J-Term Course Blog: Paideia 450 - Vietnam