395 - Viet History Makers - Nguyen Thi Dinh - How Does One Become A Revolutionary?

Join host Kenneth Nguyen and series co-host Kevin Pham, author of The Architects of Dignity, in this sub-series of the podcast, exploring the key figures and moments in Vietnamese history.

In this episode of Viet History Makers, we ask, "How Does Someone Become A Revolutionary?" We turn our focus to Nguyễn Thị Định, a significant figure in Vietnam’s history, whose journey from a rural village to becoming a top military leader for the Viet Cong—and later a vice president of unified Vietnam—remains a subject of both admiration, debate and deep pain for others.

Join us as we carefully navigate Nguyễn Thị Định's life and legacy, and reflect the deep complexities of Vietnam’s war-torn past. While she is celebrated by many as a symbol of resistance and resilience, her story is also deeply intertwined with the profound loss of those who fought to protect a different vision for Vietnam. In this episode, we explore her path to communism and the forces that shaped her, acknowledging the diverse perspectives on her contributions to Vietnam’s history.

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Kevin D. Pham is an Assistant Professor of Political Science at the University of Amsterdam. His research introduces Vietnamese political thought to the academic field of political theory, showing how Vietnamese thinkers challenge and enhance conventional Western understandings of important political concepts. 

He co-hosts Nam Phong Dialogues, a podcast in which he and Yen Vu have casual chats about Vietnamese history and being Vietnamese American. He is the author of The Architects of Dignity: Vietnamese Visions of Decolonization (Oxford University Press, 2024). 

Kevindoanpham.com

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Many of you still have the chance to record and preserve the legacies of your own families. I’ve sat with families now for interview sessions to record the rich histories of parents and explore the lives of the generations that preceded them. Don’t let your family stories go untold! Take a moment to reach out and together we will bring out your family’s story on a recorded journey. - Kenneth Nguyen

Visit vietnamstorybank.com today for more information!

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