2018/01/01 by Tine M. Gammeltoft, Tine Gammeltoft
Social Sciences · #Anthropological Studies and Insights #Southeast Asian Sociopolitical Studies #Vietnamese History and Culture Studies
paper · doi:10.3167/sa.2018.620106
openalex publication_date 2018/01/01 · openalex created_date 2018/09/27 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/31
In this article I explore how a ‘belonging’ perspective can contribute to anthropological reflections on subjectivity and agency. On the basis of two ethnographic cases from Vietnam, I show how people tend to find their bearings in existentially difficult situations by placing themselves within concrete communities of others. Distinguishing between intersubjective, territorial, and political forms of belonging, I discuss anthropological approaches to belonging practices, highlighting the shared analytical assumptions that have underpinned anthropological use of the concept. By placing mutuality and responsiveness at the center of attention, I show that a belonging perspective can help us to think more carefully about the complex ways in which freedom and constraint intertwine in human lives.