Where national identity is contested: consciousness of nation–state among minority communities in the Vietnam–China borderlands

Borderlands in Southeast Asia have long been considered marginalised spaces occupied by populations that assign greater significance to ethnic solidarity than national consciousness. To date, research has largely highlighted the social dynamics of frontier communities in the context of the recent economic boom and transnational interactions, yet few examine national consciousness. Drawing on a survey conducted with four minority communities in the Vietnam – China borderland, this article investigates nation – state consciousness through perspectives on border and territory sovereignty, citizens’ responsibility in Vietnamese nation building, and in understanding and employing national symbols. We suggest that local minorities’ national consciousness has increased significantly since the 1980s. However, expressed attachments to national identity varied according to ethnicity, gender and age. To enhance consciousness of the nation – state, it is important to make the nation-building project relevant to minorities through education and propaganda, but also through more effective implementation of the state’s development policies.