Changes in Socio-Demographic Characteristics of the Vietnamese Family

The chapter begins with the discussion on the economic and social contexts after Doi Moi and their impacts on the family in Vietnam. Doi Moi has been an important platform for change in all economic and social sectors in the country. The past three decades have seen significant economic and social change which have supported changes to traditional patterns of marriage and family in Vietnam. In parallel with economic changes during the Doi Moi process, social aspects of individual and family life have also changed, among them the demographic characteristics of the family. The chapter focuses on changes in decision-making regarding marriage, the mate-selection process, and the criteria employed in partner selection. For nearly thirty years since Doi Moi, along with dramatic changes in economic and social sectors, the socio-demographic characteristics of the family have undergone many changes in Vietnam. Keywords: demographic characteristics; Doi Moi; economic change; mate-selection process; social change; Vietnam