Dr. Dang Thi Kim Phung, a lecturer and researcher in the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities at Ton Duc Thang University has been awarded a Newton Mobility Grant (UK) for the project entitled “Between dark heritage and ecotourism: Postcolonial ecologies in Vietnam”.

The grant funds a co-research project between Dr. Dang Thi Kim Phung and a research group led by Dr Sophie Fuggle from the Department of Arts and Humanities, Nottingham Trent University (UK). This project explores the relationship between seemingly distinct forms of ecotourism and dark heritage at some famous touristic places across Vietnam: the Con Dao Prisons (Bà Rịa –Vũng Tàu), The Central Office for South Vietnam (Tay Ninh), and Ba Chuc’s site of massacre (An Giang). The aim of the research is to balance the effort of attracting international tourism with the promotion of local engagement, as well as the communities’ benefits in the tourism sector in these three places.

Newton Mobility Grants provides support for international researchers based in the country covered by the Newton Fund to establish and develop collaboration with UK researchers in a specific joint-research project; encourages new collaborative partnerships, between scholars who have not previously worked together, and provides initiatives for scholars who have collaborated together in the past. The grants aim to strengthen the research capability, and contribute to promoting economic development and social welfare on an international scale. In addition, the grants will also enhance the development of longer-term relationships between the overseas and UK researchers.

On this occasion, Dr. Dang Thi Kim Phung shared: “We are happy to be funded by the Newton Mobility Grant NMGR1180428. The project supports the co-research between researchers of the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, Ton Duc Thang University (Vietnam) and scholars of the Department of Arts and Humanities, Nottingham Trent University (UK). This cooperation highlights the capacity of Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, Ton Duc Thang University in building international research networks. In addition, the project underlines the growing importance of Vietnam in its sustainable heritage development and the challenges of its current heritage and ecotourism.”

Dr. Dang Thi Kim Phung obtained her PhD degree from Wageningen University (The Netherlands). Up to now, Dr. Dang Thi Kim Phung has published 5 articles in prestigious ISI journals.