The Research Project

Brief presentation of the methodology of research, the limits, the biography, the research team, the key collaborators and the partners.

Methodology

The research is articulated around a simple qualitative case study: Think Playground. Five sites were studied, chosen as to cover the diverse scenarios of localisation, urban environment, socio-economical context and temporality. We applied various methods of data collection to fulfill our main objectives on:

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Management

The role played by Think Playgrouds, its strategies, its relationships with its volunteers and with its partners.

6 semi-directed interviews:

  • 2 with Think Playgrounds’ co-founders
  • 4 with Think Playgrounds’ partners

12 directed interviews:

  • 1 with Think Playgrounds’ volunteers
  • 1 with Think Playgrounds’ employee

Participatory research: Participation in the realization of a playground throughout its realization cycle.

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Community

Portraits of the users, the reception of the public and the consequences on the neighborhood.

Direct observation : direct observation sessions held on each of the study sites in order to understand the dynamics of use and to know the peaks of affluence.

Short questionnaires of about twenty questions : 

  • 9 in site #1 NGUYỄN CÔNG HOAN with users and nearby residents 
  • 13 in site #2 PLAYSTREET
  • 25 in site #3 YÊN SỜ
  • 40 in site #4 PLAYDAY

Semi-directed interviews : from the questionnaires’ data, we wanted to deepen certain answers which seemed to us incomplete or to be clarified. We conducted interviews of a dozen questions :

  • 10 in site #1 NGUYỄN CÔNG HOAN with users and nearby residents 
  • 9 in site #2 PLAYSTREET
  • 13 in site #3 YÊN SỜ

Limits

A definite limit of our global methodology remains the size of the samples. If they cover most of the stakeholders related directly or indirectly to Think Playgrounds’ projects; it remains certain that the methodology does not allow for generalisation about the relations between the organisation, the civil society and the municipal administration or on the future of DIY initiatives in Hanoi and Vietnam. The qualitative approach allows above all to identify recurring themes in individual experiences or similar understandings of the political issues.

About the cultural context, it is important to mention that leading a social research in Hanoi is intrinsically complex. Before even selecting the topic or the method, necessary contacts must be established with renowned public institutions to obtain multiple permits. For most of the interviews, the local students led direct translations. This approach allowed for a more reactive interview, but also implied that some information was lost in translation. On a similar limit, the translation of our surveys was subject to wrong interpretations or linguistic misunderstandings.

The meteorological limits, from dangerously high temperatures to heavy rains, slowed our data collection, since a significant amount happened outside.

The multiple limits of the research echo Savoie- Zajc (2009: 312) conclusions where the semi-directed interview must be understood within its cultural context. Every answer is influenced by the specific situation where it was given.

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The Research Team

Jules Laurent-Allard

Jules Laurent-Allard

Researcher (University of Montreal)

Author of The Politics

Maxime Boutaghou Courtemanche

Maxime Boutaghou Courtemanche

Researcher (University of Montreal)

Author of The Management

Gabriel Larue

Gabriel Larue

Researcher (University of Montreal)

Author of The Community

The Key Collaborators

Nguyen Thi Phuong Anh

Nguyen Thi Phuong Anh

Collaborator (National University of Civil Engineering)

Vũ Thùy Linh

Vũ Thùy Linh

Collaborator (National University of Civil Engineering)

Hương Ly

Hương Ly

Collaborator (National University of Civil Engineering)

Đồng Tuấn Minh

Đồng Tuấn Minh

Collaborator (National University of Civil Engineering)

Danielle Labbé

Danielle Labbé

Project Supervisor (University of Montreal)

The Partners

Thanks

First and foremost, we would like to thank Danielle Labbé, published scholar in urbanisation issues and planning practices in developing countries. Her expertise guided us, the research team, throughout the project: on the private and public appropriations of spaces, on the complexity of the metropolitan governance and, above all, on the unique Vietnamese cultural context.

We also wish to give thanks to the founders of Think Playgrounds and the multiple hard-working volunteers who contribute to their projects. We were greeted with a warm welcome and supported throughout the entirety of our research.

An enormous THANK YOU to Đồng Tuấn Minh, Hương Ly, Vu Thuy Linh and Nguyen Thi Phuong Anh for the precious help on the field, their patient introduction to the Vietnamese culture, the interviews led with professionalism and ever-lasting friendships.

Finally, we wish to thank Duc Nguyễn (http://ducfoto.format.com/) and Valérie Fortin for their stunning photographies used on this website. We also mentioned the talented Daniel Smith (belfastdan.com) who created our logo.

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