Ethnic Relations in Religion Among Ethnic Minorities in the Northwest and Central Highlands

Abstract

In recent years, ethnic relations in the Northwest and Central Highlands have undergone changes in economic, social and cultural spheres. It is noticeable in the cultural relationships between individuals of the same or different ethnic groups who share the same religious beliefs. Thanks to religious affiliation, ethnic relations are increasingly developing, expanding to provinces across the country and neighbouring countries. This article examines the relationships among ethnic group members in the Northwest and Central Highlands who share the same religious beliefs. It focuses on the domestic and cross-border relationships of Protestants and followers of new religious phenomena among the two largest ethnic groups in these border areas: the Hmong in the Northwest and the Gia Rai in the Central Highlands. The article analyses the impact of ethnic relations in religion on people’s lives in the two regions.