The “road” to development; A qualitative case study of the transportation infrastructure and its impact on the equitable development in Nậm Ty commune, Vietnam

Abstract

This study examines the transportation infrastructure and its impacts on equitable development in Nậm Ty commune located in the region of Hoàng Su Phì district, Hà Giang province in northern Vietnam. By exploring the impact transportation infrastructure has on peoples' everyday lives, the aim of the study is to understand how varying infrastructure conditions influence their mobility and accessibility. The study combines a political ecology approach with the theory of mobility justice, to explore how the transportation infrastructure in Nậm Ty commune is distributed and experienced. Using a qualitative methodology involving an deductive approach, 17 semi-structured interviews were conducted with people from the villages Nậm Ty, Nậm Piên, Tân Thượng, focusing on their subjective experiences. The results revealed that variations in the infrastructure created disparities in road conditions and access to essential services, with more remote areas like Nậm Piên facing significant barriers, while Tân Thượng benefits from better connectivity. The findings highlighted frequent occurrences of landslides, affecting the physical movement and isolating communities and that infrastructure depends heavily on the active participation and maintenance of the locals to enable mobility, underscoring the important role infrastructure has in shaping attitudes and behaviours in the community.