Chung Van Hoang Books

This book examines emerging religious groups in Vietnam through the interactions between religious and non-religious spheres, highlighting their role in the country's religious reconfiguration. It investigates the evolving relationships between religions and their connections to political, economic, and public domains amid Vietnam's rapid modernization. The author posits that some unrecognized new religious groups may contribute positively to modernization rather than merely react to it. Employing various research methodologies, the work offers a comprehensive understanding of these groups, drawing from sociology and anthropology. It compares three distinct new religious groups, utilizing qualitative and ethnographic methods, including participant observation during extensive fieldwork. The concept of religious reconfiguration serves as a framework for analyzing religion in Vietnam, paving the way for further comparative studies. Additionally, the focus on religious reinvention—encompassing processes of remaking, transforming, legitimating, and accommodating—can inform research on New Religious Movements across Asia. This exploration of new religions aims to foster interdisciplinary studies and amplify the voices of religious minorities often subjected to stereotyping and punitive measures. The book is geared towards post-graduate students and social researchers interested in religious revival, diversification, state-religion