Making a Living in Rural Vietnam from (Im)mobile Livelihoods: a Case of Women's Migration

ABSTRACT

Women's labour has come to play a remarkable role in Vietnam's development since the introduction of renovation in the 1980s. Although many rural households send their women members to cities to seek an off-farm income, other households seem to be immobile. Drawing on a case study of women's migration in two rural villages located in the Red River Delta, this paper explores how mobility, immobility, and gendered life courses interact in shaping household livelihoods. The findings highlight the intermingling of mobility and immobility in constructing the livelihoods of both mover and stayer households over the gendered life course. Although women work in the informal sector, their migration not only secures but also enhances household livelihoods. The paper also reveals the diverse backgrounds of stayer households and their activeness in making a living. Given its emphasis on gendered life courses, the paper provides a more nuanced understanding of the economic impacts of migration at the household level. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.