Abstract

This study examines how cultural norms and gender roles shape the economic participation of ethnic minority women in rural Vietnam, showing culture as both a barrier and a development driver. Based on fi eldwork in Lào Cai (H’Mông) and Đắk Lắk (Ê Đê), the study combines participatory rural appraisal, interviews, and focus groups. Findings reveal that patrilineal inheritance and Confucian ideologies limit women’s access to land and formal jobs, yet women use cultural capital informal credit networks, weaving, and matrilineal knowledge to create informal economic opportunities. The study challenges negative views of culture, demonstrating its potential for sustainable development. It recommends tourism programs recognizing women’s intellectual property, aligning with SDGs 5 and 8, and contributes to development theory by linking Bourdieu’s cultural capital with feminist political economy.

Keywords: Cultural capital, gender roles, ethnic minorities, economic development, Vietnam.