Between War and the State

The book explores various voluntary activities in South Vietnam, such as mutual-help and charitable organizations, to analyze state-society relations during wartime. It sheds light on how ordinary citizens navigated the sociopolitical challenges of postcolonial nation building, national division, civil war, and the pressures of the Cold War. Through this examination, it provides valuable insights into the responses and resilience of South Vietnamese communities amidst tumultuous historical circumstances.