Singapore: Palgrave Macmillan, 2022. xiii, 241 pp. (Tables, maps, coloured photos.) US$120.00, cloth; US$89.00, ebook. ISBN 9789811631238.
Unearthing Politics by Jason Morris-Jung is a detailed exploration of grassroots activism against bauxite mining in Vietnam’s Central Highlands. In what is quite likely the most detailed account of this controversy, Morris-Jung traces the origins of bauxite mining back to the Vietnamese government’s discovery of bauxite deposits right after the Vietnam War. He then follows the story through to the “spectacle” and “counter-spectacle” of the 2009 National Assembly meeting over the mining projects, and explores the subsequent repercussions.
The author frames the mining controversy as a play in three acts. The opening act features a small non-governmental organization and its network of scientists engaging in “embedded advocacy.” This NGO restricted themselves to organizing low-profile scientific workshops and petitions in collaboration with government agencies, while also deliberately framing their criticisms as non-threatening policy recommendations rather than an entire rejection of the policy.
As the movement gained publicity—intentionally or not—it also drew in a wider gamut of supporters. These new allies—whose ranks included not only celebrated public figures and intellectuals from various disciplines, but also the regime’s most ardent critics—took over as the second act’s main characters. Departing from embedded advocacy, they directly challenged the mining ventures, while segueing into confronting the regime’s corruption, lack of democracy, and disregard for national security. The new cohort of activists also brought their contestation to the public sphere, using creative channels like dedicated websites, open letters, and notably, a first-of-its-kind online petition that amassed over 2,700 signatures. The narrative culminates in the third act when the Vietnamese government, confronted with escalating opposition, reverted to its traditional tactics, combining a façade of responsiveness with numerous repressive measures to intimidate critics and suppress public discourse.
Beyond storytelling, the author offers their own analysis of the bauxite mining controversy’s political significance. More than just a one-off incident, the controversy marks a “fault line shift” in how the Vietnamese public approaches contentious politics. First, the incident cast doubt on the promise of embedded politics as a means toward policy accommodations. Second, even though they ultimately failed to bring about desired policy shifts, the bauxite mining debates encouraged the Vietnamese public, especially its intellectuals, to become bolder in speaking out against national-level policies, if not against the regime itself. Third, the debates also gave rise to an unlikely coalition of activists, connecting northerners with southerners, artists with scientists, and loyal party cadres with anti-communist dissidents. This coalition banded together in defiance of the regime even well after the end of the bauxite controversy. Finally, the protest is proof of concept for new technologies of political contentions, many of which such as complaint letters and online petitions found their use in subsequent protests in Vietnam.
There is a lot to like about the work. Its broad representation of diverse Vietnamese voices, extending beyond well-known dissidents to those specifically involved in the bauxite mining issue, is particularly noteworthy. Morris-Jung also effectively utilizes Vietnamese-language media sources, offering insights not only into their content but also their use in activism. The book’s detailed narratives, from in-depth coverage of the scientific workshops to a nuanced contextualization of General Giap’s letters, are engaging even for those familiar with the events. Additionally, the author’s clear explanation of the technicalities of bauxite mining, along with a concise history of bauxite exploration in Vietnam, makes complex topics accessible to all readers.
At the same time, the book also has notable gaps. Primarily, the work draws upon several theoretical frameworks such as moving earth or geobody, yet its narrative overlooks the perspective of Central Highlands inhabitants who are impacted the most by the bauxite mining. To the author’s credit, the book is upfront about this shortcoming. Furthermore, this lack of representation reflects perhaps not a methodological shortcoming but an unfortunate reality of the entire anti-bauxite movement. This is further evidenced in the author’s demographic breakdown of complaint letters and online petition signatures, which shows a stark absence of rural citizens and ethnic minorities.
Another of the book’s weaknesses has to do with its lack of analytical depth. The author introduces several critical questions but leaves them unanswered. For instance, the inquiry into whether the regime’s responsive-repressive approach was intentional or coincidental (154) is raised but not explored. Furthermore, there’s a missed opportunity to delve into the internal dynamics among activists. In particular, several inflection points in the movement, such as the shift from embedded to contentious politics, or the broadening of agenda toward political liberalization generally and calling for the release of lawyer-dissident Cu Huy Ha Vu specifically, remain unexamined. Were these decisions a gesture of solidarity, a strategic reorientation, or yet another unexamined factor? Addressing these aspects would significantly bolster Morris-Jung’s arguments, particularly with regards to understanding whether the failure of embedded authoritarianism stems from the regime’s actions or the activists’ very own in the first place.
Despite its shortcomings, the book’s detailed insights make it essential for those interested in environmental movements and contentious politics in Vietnam. The author effectively demonstrates the bauxite movement’s lasting impact on recent events and offers valuable perspectives for broader debates in the literature on authoritarianism, including the dynamics of regime repression and the efficacy of top-down versus bottom-up liberalization.
In summary, despite its limitations, Unearthing Politics remains a must-read for its comprehensive coverage of a pivotal moment in Vietnamese politics and its contribution to the understanding of environmental activism under authoritarian regimes.
Duy D. Trinh
Princeton University, Princeton