Description
Book SynopsisExplores the position of the Catholic Church in modern Vietnamese history. By demonstrating how French colonial rule allowed for the transformation of Catholic missions in Vietnam into powerful economic and institutional structures, this title discovers the ways race defined cultural prestige and control of resources and institutional authority.
Trade Review"An excellent book. The research is based on a solid command of the archival sources; it is well argued and loaded with insightful details." -- Patricia M. Pelley American Historical Review "[Catholic Vietnam] adds a sophisticated voice to debates about the role of religion in the imperial project, giving an in-depth exploration of relations between government and church officials on the ground and demonstrating that religious, secular, imperial, and national discourses were co-constitutive." Contemporary French Civilization "Catholic Vietnam ... is an articulate and thoughtful re-evaluation of the Church as a national institution and as a factor in Vietnam's path towards independence." -- Shane Strate South East Asia Research 22, no. 4
Table of ContentsList of Illustrations Acknowledgments Foreword Introduction 1. A Church between the Nguy?n and the French 2. A Colonial Church Divided 3. The Birth of a National Church 4. Vietnamese Catholic Tradition on Trial 5. A National Church Experienced 6. The Culture and Politics of Vietnamese Catholic Nationalism 7. A National Church in Revolution and War Epilogue. A National Church Divided Notes Bibliography Index
