Vietnam's political development has entered an extraordinary, if indeterminate, phase. Politics in Vietnam, long a predictable and dour affair, are today characterized by a sense of uncertainty and possibility that has no precedent in the country's post-war history. Comprising contributions from leading Vietnam scholars, this volume comprehensively explores the core aspects of Vietnam's politics, providing fresh perspectives on one of East Asia's least understood countries.

The collection focuses on a variety of themes including the development and decay of the Communist Party of Vietnam, the evolution of relations between central and local authorities in the context of economic globalization, the functions of representative institutions, the activities of political dissidents, the growth of incipient forms of secondary association and civil society, and state repression. Unlike much of the scholarship on Vietnam, the contributions in this volume consider Vietnam in light of broader debates concerning politics in Asia.

Jonathan D. London is a professor in the Department of Asian and International Studies and Core Member of the Southeast Asia Research Centre at the City University of Hong Kong. His recent publications include research articles in the Annual Review of Political Science, The Journal of Contemporary Asia, The Pacific Review, and Social Science & Medicine. London is also editor of Education in Viet Nam (2011, ISEAS) as well as numerous technical reports, analyses, and essays addressing social, political, and economic themes.