What America owes Vietnam it can never repay, though there are many Americans in the U.S. and Vietnam today, including veterans, who are striving mightily and in myriad ways to contribute to the physical and spiritual healing process. The "Nam," as some of you still think of it, this country of your dreams and your … Continue reading “From the Lion’s Den: An Open Letter (and Invitation) to Vietnam Veterans”
vietnam
WES Webinar: An Overview of Education in Vietnam
World Education Services (WES) is organizing a webinar on 7 June entitled An Overview of Education in Vietnam. WES is a New York City-based not-for-profit organization specializing in foreign credential evaluation and "the leading source of international education intelligence," according to its website. In April 2011, representatives from over 60 U.S. colleges and universities participated in a week-long … Continue reading WES Webinar: An Overview of Education in Vietnam
The Double-Edged Sword That Is US Higher Education
I was recently invited by Madame Ton Nu Thi Ninh, President of the Tri Viet Institute for International Studies and Exchange within Ton Duc Thang University and Senior Advisor to the President of TDT University, to speak to interested students, faculty and staff about US higher education in comparative perspective with an implicit focus on Vietnam. As with people, every … Continue reading The Double-Edged Sword That Is US Higher Education
Hagel Hearings & The Vietnam War/Kill Anything That Moves (KATM)
Below is another Vietnam Studies Group exchange about Nick Turse's new book Kill Anything That Moves: The Real American War in Vietnam (KATM). I responded to a colleague from the University of Arizona whose main criticisms are that Turse "tells us nothing new" and that he commits a sin of omission by excluding information that contradicts this colleague's theory - hypothesis … Continue reading Hagel Hearings & The Vietnam War/Kill Anything That Moves (KATM)
Calling a Spade a Spade: Stanley Karnow, Stanley McChrystal & Vietnam
Below is a recent exchange on the Vietnam Studies Group (VSG) listserv. Members include Vietnam scholars and practitioners, current and former diplomats and spooks ("agents or people involved in espionage"), journalists, non-governmental (NGO) organization staff, etc. Quite a few are overseas Vietnamese (Việt kiều). Read from the bottom up. Bernard Kalb, the journalist and former US State Department spokesman during … Continue reading Calling a Spade a Spade: Stanley Karnow, Stanley McChrystal & Vietnam
Winning the Hearts & Minds of Young Vietnamese
Note: If you’re an employee of the US State Department, do not pass go, do not collect $200, close this tab immediately. This post contains a “sensitive” Wikileaks cable that originated in the US Embassy-Hanoi and commentary on the same. If you read it, you are breaking the law, not to mention disobeying Madam Secretary. Please pardon … Continue reading Winning the Hearts & Minds of Young Vietnamese
Kill Anything That Moves: The Real American War in Vietnam
This post is quite obviously NOT about education or US-Vietnam educational exchange. It's about history, its impact on the present, and the United States' (in)ability to overcome its past. The German word that describes this process, Vergangenheitsbewältigung, implies dealing with, learning from, but also overcoming the past. It's about a horrible truth that Nick Turse tells his fellow citizens and the world about … Continue reading Kill Anything That Moves: The Real American War in Vietnam
“In Vietnam, P&G Woos Hearts, Minds, and Schools”
Aside from the title of this 5 July Bloomberg Businessweek article, an unfortunate play on what has been described as a "short-lived campaign by the United States military during the Vietnam War intended to win the popular support of the Vietnamese people," I always have mixed feelings when I read about this type of project. While it's great that … Continue reading “In Vietnam, P&G Woos Hearts, Minds, and Schools”
International Student Mobility Research Report
“…the road ahead for most U.S. institutions of higher education will not be smooth as many institutions grapple with challenges in meeting recruitment goals with limited time and tight budgets.” This report, recently released by World Education Services, provides some useful information about enrollment trends among international students. One of the key points is that … Continue reading International Student Mobility Research Report
Talking Nationalism, Patriotism and Global Citizenship with US Students in Vietnam
Last month, I was invited by a colleague from Augustana College (Illinois) to meet with a group of her students who were in Vietnam on a short-term study abroad program. The students had spent five weeks at Augustana, followed by another five weeks in southern, central and northern Vietnam. The website describes the program as follows: Vietnam is … Continue reading Talking Nationalism, Patriotism and Global Citizenship with US Students in Vietnam
An International Educator in Vietnam 
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