SAIGON COFFEE CULTURE IN THE DIGITAL LIFE: SPATIAL PRACTICES AND EXPERIENCES OF URBAN YOUTH IN HO CHI MINH CITY

Abstract

This study analyzes the role of coffee shops as a vital socio-cultural institution for youth in Ho Chi Minh City amidst rapid urbanization and pervasive digitalization. Utilizing a qualitative approach (in-depth interviews and field observations), the research frames coffee-going as an everyday spatial practice, where emotional experiences and identity negotiation strategies are constructed between the physical urban environment and the digital realm. Findings indicate that for urban youth, the coffee shop is more than a place for consumption or work; it functions as a space to "dwell," allowing individuals to maintain a minimal social presence. Digital practices such as photographing, posting, or intentionally withholding experiences on social media are interpreted as "digital social rituals." Through these rituals, young people simultaneously assert their digital presence and navigate the boundaries between self-presentation and private life. Furthermore, coffee shops operate as intermediary spaces where a sense of belonging and urban memories are accumulated through repetitive practices. From a digital humanities perspective, the article argues that digital life should be understood not as a detached technological domain, but as a humanistic space shaped by concrete lived experiences. Through the case of Saigon coffee culture, the study elucidates how everyday practices contribute to the construction of a hybrid digital-physical urban life, while expanding the discourse on the role of semi-public spaces in shaping the identity of contemporary urban youth.