The circulation of Women and Cities International Discourse in Vietnam

Since the Habitat II conference in 1996, the women and cities approach has become part of the discourse of several international organizations. This approach, consisting of a set of ideas and practices that aim to intervene in urban settings by taking into account the differences between men and women, has been present in Vietnam for several years. Contributing to scholarship on the international circulation of urban policies, this paper examines how the international discourse on the women and cities approach is translated into the Vietnamese context. The analysis of this translation takes the form of a case study of the women and cities practices found in Vietnam. The analysis is based on interviews conducted with international and Vietnamese organizations, a literature review, and a press review. The results show that the international discourse on women and cities is based on certain conceptions of cities, gender equality, and how to intervene in the city. In Vietnam, these ideas are translated into practice in different ways. The results highlight the structuring influence of the political and social context in the process of adoption and local adaptation of the women and cities approach. Ultimately, based on the case of Vietnam, this paper sheds light on the importance of the role of the state in the circulation of urban policies.