Is education for all? The experiences of ethnic minority students and teachers in North-western Vietnam engaging with social entrepreneurship

Abstract

This paper discusses the challenges teachers and ethnic minority students face living in rural North-western Vietnam and how social entrepreneurship can mitigate these. The data was gathered through 33 interviews (teachers N = 10; students N = 20; parents of a student N = 2; social entrepreneur N = 1). The data were analysed using thematic analysis, drawing from Fraser's (2010) justice model. The paper also links to Granovetter's (1985, 2005) social embeddedness concept, to emphasise how social enterprise enabled socio-economic networks can support ethnic minority students to overcome redistribution, representation and recognition problems. The paper makes an original contribution by showing how socio-economic networks enhance weak-ties and bridge resources to empower the socially disadvantaged to achieve educational inclusion.