The Vietnamese with Kenneth Nguyen

Welcome to the first episode of our sub-series, Ancient Vietnam, where we explore the depths of Vietnam's early history through language, culture, and forgotten stories. In this inaugural conversation, co-host John Phan—linguistic historian at Columbia University and author of Lost Tongues of the Red River—guides us through the intricate relationship between ancient Vietnam's spoken languages, literary traditions, and writing systems.Together, we'll unpack how linguistic clues offer profound insights into the social dynamics, cultural exchanges, and political landscapes of premodern Vietnam. Join us as we discuss the secrets hidden in scripts and sounds, the lost tongues of ancient communities, and how language can illuminate centuries-old realities.John guides us into the linguistics of ancient Vietnam—where every word is a clue, every script tells a story, and every conversation uncovers a forgotten world.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------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 NguyenVisit vietnamstorybank.com today for more information.Read lessSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-vietnamese-with-kenneth-nguyen/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

In this episode of Viet History Makers, co-hosts Kenneth Nguyen and Kevin Pham explore the history of The Tale of Kieu (Truyện Kiều), the seminal poetic masterpiece by Nguyễn Du, expanding the historical context surrounding its creation and the impact it had on Vietnamese culture and identity.Written in the early 19th century during a period of intense turmoil and dynastic upheaval, Nguyễn Du crafted this epic poem as both a subtle critique and poignant reflection of the social, political, and moral tensions prevalent in Vietnam at the time. Kenneth and Kevin discuss how Nguyễn Du’s nuanced storytelling, filled with complex characters and moral ambiguity, mirrored the struggles faced by Vietnamese society amid shifting political allegiances, corruption, and foreign threats.The hosts also examine the ways in which The Tale of Kieu resonated deeply with Vietnamese audiences, prompting widespread discussions about ethics, personal agency, fate, and social justice. They explore how Nguyễn Du skillfully navigated the fraught politics of the Nguyen dynasty era, embedding messages that continue to resonate today as powerful symbols of resilience, identity, and moral consciousness.Join Kenneth and Kevin as they unpack this literary work, revealing why The Tale of Kieu remains essential reading and a reflection of Vietnam’s historical and cultural landscape.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------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--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------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 NguyenVisit vietnamstorybank.com today for more information.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-vietnamese-with-kenneth-nguyen/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

We sit down with Dr. Andrew Wells-Dang, a senior expert at the United States Institute of Peace (USIP), for a conversation about Vietnam, geopolitics, and lessons from war. We start by exploring how Dr. Wells-Dang found his way to working in Vietnam, and the unexpected connection between his last name and Vietnamese culture.This episode discussed the critical work of USIP and reflect on the impact of its recent defunding during the Trump administration. Dr. Wells-Dang shares insights into the shifting dynamics in the region, particularly the rising tension with China and whether a direct threat to Vietnam could be potentially be on the horizon. We also unpack what the U.S. has (and hasn’t) learned from its wars—Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan—and how those lessons shape policy and peace building today.- - - - - - -- - - - - - - - -Many of you still have the chance to record and preserve the legacies of your own families. I’ve just begun to sit 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 NguyenVisit vietnamstorybank.com today for more information.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-vietnamese-with-kenneth-nguyen/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

John D. Phan is an Associate Professor of Vietnamese Humanities at Columbia University, based in the Department of East Asian Languages & Cultures and the Weatherhead East Asian Institute. He focuses on the linguistic history of Vietnam and its cultural context..His first book, The Lost Tongues of the Red River: Annamese Middle Chinese & the Origins of the Vietnamese Language, published in April 2025 by Harvard University Press, posits the existence of a regional dialect of Middle Chinese once spoken in northern Vietnam (the Red River Delta) and explores how this dialect influenced the emergence of Vietnamese Phan completed his M.A. at Columbia University (on Ming‑Qing vernacular fiction, 2005) and earned his Ph.D. from Cornell (on Sino‑Vietnamese language contact, 2012). His scholarship examines the evolution of writing systems, vernacular literary forms (like chữ Nôm), and the social-political implications of multilingualism in East Asia In this episode, Kenneth sits down with John to talk about his new book The Lost Tongues of the Red River. They get into the role language plays in shaping who we are—not just how we speak, but how we think, remember, and connect to culture.John shares insights into the roots of the Vietnamese language, how it’s evolved, and what might be slipping away. They also dig into the experience of growing up speaking English instead of Vietnamese, and what that means for identity, especially in the diaspora. It’s a thoughtful, wide-ranging conversation about language, memory, and what it really means to be Vietnamese—wherever you are in the world.- - - - - - -- - - - - - - - -Many of you still have the chance to record and preserve the legacies of your own families. I’ve just begun to sit 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 NguyenVisit vietnamstorybank.com today for more information.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-vietnamese-with-kenneth-nguyen/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

In this episode of Viet History Makers, co-hosts Kevin Pham and Kenneth Nguyen look into the life of Nguyễn Khắc Viện — a revolutionary intellectual, physician and cultural critic who helped shape modern Vietnamese identity.Born in 1913 in Ha Tinh, Nguyễn Khắc Viện studied medicine in France, where he became deeply involved in anti-colonial activism and the international communist movement. He spent years in exile, publishing prolifically in both French and Vietnamese, and became a key figure in explaining and defending the Vietnamese revolution to the outside world. His essays and editorials offered nuanced views on nationalism, socialism, and cultural policy, helping to articulate Vietnam’s ideological stance during a turbulent century.Kevin and Kenneth explore Nguyễn Khắc Viện’s role as editor of Études Vietnamiennes, his sharp critiques of dogmatism within the Party, and his pioneering work in Vietnamese psychoanalysis and cultural theory. They also discuss his later years, in which he called for political openness and reform — cementing his place as both a loyal revolutionary and a principled critic.This episode offers conversation on a man who was not only a key intermediary between Vietnam and the world, but also a model of intellectual integrity and lifelong commitment to national progress.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------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--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------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 NguyenVisit vietnamstorybank.com today for more information.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-vietnamese-with-kenneth-nguyen/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

In this roundtable discussion Kenneth Nguyen, we bring together four artists in Vietnamese literature, art, and academia to reflect on creativity, memory, and healing, 50 years after the end of the Vietnam War.Christina Vo is the author of My Vietnam, Your Vietnam, a memoir that weaves together the stories of two generations navigating identity and belonging. With a background in international development and storytelling, Christina explores how personal and national histories intersect.Dr. Kieu-Linh Caroline Valverde is a professor of Asian American Studies in the Bay Area, known for her groundbreaking work on Vietnamese diasporic identity and cultural politics. As both an academic and community advocate, she brings a sharp, critical lens to questions of trauma and resilience.Truong Tran is a poet, visual artist, and author who confronts themes of exclusion, erasure, and the struggle for voice. His work bridges the personal and political, challenging the limits of language and representation.Andrew Lam, award-winning author of Perfume Dreams and the newly released Stories from the Edge of the Sea, is a journalist and former NPR commentator whose essays and fiction illuminate the complexities of exile, memory, and transformation.Together, they sit down with Kenneth in conversation about what it means to create art after displacement and inherited trauma. Can the creative spirit evolve beyond pain or is trauma an inescapable thread in the Vietnamese diasporic narrative?--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------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 NguyenVisit vietnamstorybank.com today for more information.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-vietnamese-with-kenneth-nguyen/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Mia Nguyen is a Vietnamese community builder and the founder of Viet Boss Babes - a Vietlish podcast and media platform sharing Vietnamese culture, identity and ambition with the world. Born and raised in Hanoi and currently living in Toronto, Mia’s work bridges the diaspora experience with global conversations.By day, she leads marketing strategies in the tech industry. By night, she’s building a platform that redefines what it means to be modern, Vietnamese, and proudly in-between - through storytelling, community events and cultural context that speak both to the roots and the remix.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-vietnamese-with-kenneth-nguyen/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

In this episode of The Vietnamese podcast, host Anderson Le sits down with Tony Bui, a pioneer in the Vietnamese American independent cinema space. Tony is a Sundance award-winning writer, director, and producer. He is currently Artist-in-Residence at Columbia University’s Weatherhead East Asian Institute and teaches in Columbia’s School of the Arts graduate film program. His films include Yellow Lotus, Three Seasons, Green Dragon, and The Throwaways. His short film, Yellow Lotus, was the first Vietnamese language film to be screened at the Sundance Film Festival and received over 15 national and international festival awards. His feature film debut, Three Seasons, was the first American-Vietnamese co-production to be filmed entirely in Vietnam. The film received the Grand Jury Prize, Audience Award, and Best Cinematography Award at the Sundance Film Festival, along with two Independent Spirit Awards nominations. Three Seasons was also Vietnam’s official entry to the Oscars, where it was shortlisted. In 2024, Three Seasons was showcased once again at the Sundance Film Festival, chosen as one of ten films from the festival's four decade history to celebrate its 40th anniversary.Tony is a recipient of the Humanitas Prize and an alumnus of the Sundance Institute's Screenwriting and Directing Labs. He has written and developed projects for HBO, Warner Bros., and NBC. Tony previously served on the Board of Directors of Film Independent for seven years and is currently on the Global Advisory Board of Fulbright University Vietnam. As Artist-in-Residence at Columbia, Tony has brought filmmakers, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalists, global activists, and more to the campus as guest speakers to engage in vital conversations about the role of artists and truth seekers. In the summer of 2024, in partnership with Columbia University’s Weatherhead East Asian Institute, Tony held public talks in Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Beijing. These events, titled Conversations in Storytelling: Regional Voices, Global Impact, brought together notable filmmakers in each city for discussions on the role and significance of regional storytelling in today’s world. In April 2025, Tony and the Criterion Channel launched Legacies of War: Vietnam Across the Divides, a curated program of American and Vietnamese films in honor of the fiftieth anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War. This landmark series marked the first time a showcase of Vietnamese cinema became available for streaming on the Criterion Channel.—————————————————————-Please Support PICTUREHOUSE today by clicking on the Links to the campaign shared in the description. Every donation brings Director Minh, and his cast and crew closer to sharing this special film with the world.Indiegogo: https://igg.me/at/picturehousemovieSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-vietnamese-with-kenneth-nguyen/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Can The Japanese Internment Camps Happen Again?In this episode, we sit with Kevin Nguyen, author of the new novel Mỹ Documents, a chilling and satirical reimagining of American history. Kevin is the features editor at The Verge, formerly a senior editor at GQ, and the author of New Waves.We talk about his latest book, which imagines a near-future America where Vietnamese Americans are rounded up and detained in internment camps following a wave of national panic. Set through the perspectives of four cousins—Ursula, Alvin, Jen, and Duncan—Mỹ Documents explores family, ambition, and the terrifying ease with which fear can turn into policy.In our conversation, Kevin shares the inspirations behind the novel, how historical memory shapes fiction, and why this story—while fictional—feels uncomfortably close to reality. We also reflect on how history has treated communities of color in times of crisis, and whether the past is ever really past.This is a deeply personal, sharply political, and unexpectedly funny conversation about resilience, memory, and what it means to belong in America.- - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - Many of you still have the chance to record and preserve the legacies of your own families. I’ve just begun to sit 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 NguyenVisit vietnamstorybank.com today for more information.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-vietnamese-with-kenneth-nguyen/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

On the 50th anniversary of April 30, 1975 — the official end of the Vietnam War — I sat in silence at home and thought about what a few of us have been thinking for a long time: it’s time to think about the next 50 years of what the Vietnamese all over the world can do together. Not to forget, not to erase, but to release. We’ve all carried the weight of this war for five decades — across time, oceans, generations, and identities. In this moment, I'm asking for a new space.A new way of seeing community not built on grief or guilt, but on creativity, possibility, and dialogue. We should always honor the shadow of the past but start imagining a future that’s finally ours to show the world.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-vietnamese-with-kenneth-nguyen/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy