The city is defeated, people still connected: A qualitative study on family crisis survival strategies through sharing cultural values among Vietnamese immigrants in Thailand

Abstract

Today's society is complex and difficult for family members to bear all demanded tasks, roles, and functions.  Thus, family institutions become weak and vulnerable, leading to be crisis of family and society. Therefore, the objectives of this focused ethnographical qualitative study were to explore the experiences and strategies used among the Vietnamese immigrants in Nakhon Phanom Province Thailand to cope with crisis of racism in society. Data collection was carried out based on the following means: literature reviews, community observations, in-depth interviews, and fieldnotes.  Key informants were 20 family members of Vietnamese immigrants staying in a Vietnamese community in Nakhon Phanom Province, and their close friends living in the province.

Results revealed that the Vietnamese immigrant families coped with crisis problems by holding on original cultural spirits of Vietnamese. The theme of content analysis was ​​“building center of mind”, both concrete and abstract ways, as follows: 1) building a shrine to worship in the village, and 2) setting up a shelf to worship ancestors and glorifying the hero of Ho Chi Minh. These findings can be applied in planning for provision of care for families in crisis and designing programs to empower family members, assist them to have positive perception. It may be helpful and an alternative way to encourage families to alleviate and get through the crisis.