Cultural Heritage Management Capacity of Commune-Level Government After Administrative Reorganisation: A Case Study of Dong Anh Commune, Hanoi City
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.65150/EP-jsshrs/V2E11/2026-17Keywords:
cultural heritage governance, commune-level administration, administrative reorganisation, Dong Anh, Co Loa, local government capacity, community participation.Abstract
Background: The transition to a two-tier local government system in Vietnam on 1 July 2025 changed the institutional setting in which commune authorities protect and manage cultural heritage. Objective: This article examines the management capacity of Dong Anh commune, Hanoi, which includes the Co Loa citadel and Hoa Lam Vien heritage area. Methods: A qualitative documentary case study analysed eight legal and policy instruments, four dated press reports and two assessments of the administrative reform. Evidence was organised around five dimensions: legal mandate, organisation and coordination, personnel, finance and information, and community relations and interpretation. Results: Commune authorities hold specified festival and dossier-processing responsibilities, whereas major planning and approval functions for higher-ranked relics remain with provincial and central institutions. Public evidence identifies a historical division of management at Co Loa and village-based monitoring arrangements, but does not establish the post-merger staffing structure, heritage operating budget or custody of transferred records. Hoa Lam Vien illustrates the additional need to distinguish documented archaeological evidence from contested historical narratives. Conclusion: The case demonstrates the importance of intergovernmental coordination and verifiable local information, while identifying the data required to assess actual administrative performance.
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