Social networks and livelihoods of Co-tu people in A Vuong hydropower plant resettlement and Ca dong people in Tranh River 2 hydropower plant resettlement, Quang Nam province

Abstract

Drawing on research findings in Ma Cooih commune (Dong Giang district) and Tra Bui commune (Bac Tra My district), this article highlights the influences of social network on the livelihoods of Co-tu and Ca dong people in the researched sites. The resettlement process due to A Vuong and Tranh River dams construction has led to the loss of production capacity and traditional livelihoods. However, with their activeness and flexibility, they quickly adapt to the new living environment and make good use of their social capital, for instance, family, kinship and community relations, in order to overcome initial obstacles when they were newly resettled and moving forward. The impacts of the resettling process generated changes in social structure for these two ethnic groups and resulted in troublesome issues such as a decrease in social cohesion, and an increase in community conflicts.