Exploring the Digital Practices of the Youth A Case Study of Saigon Zoo and Botanical Garden

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Cover image: Girls team training in Freetown, Sierra Leone. Supported by ‘Football for a New Tomorrow (FANT)’. Credit: Sticker, 2023
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Published: Nov 6, 2024
DOI: https://doi.org/10.32891/jps.v9i2.1796
Keywords:
youth Saigon Zoo-Botanical Garden digital media COVID-19 pandemic

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Thien Nguyen
Trinity College
Shoshana Goldstein
Trinity College

Abstract

This paper focuses on the evolving dynamics of digital youth engagement in revitalising public spaces, presenting a compelling case study of the Saigon Zoo-Botanical Garden in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The Saigon Zoo and Botanical Garden (also known as Saigon Zoo) was once a popular entertainment hub. However, during the 2000s, there was a gradual decline in interest among young visitors, attributed to negative narratives in the public media. This decline almost led to closure amid the global COVID-19 pandemic. Aware of the situation, the youth began to embrace a proactive role in promoting the site through social media. They shared delightful moments of the zoo’s animals, setting a trend for taking portraits against the backdrop of its picturesque botanical scenery. Through both physical and digital involvement, the youth breathed fresh life into this historical destination, engaging in acts of photo-taking and photo-sharing when visiting the Saigon Zoo. This study explores the case of the Saigon Zoo, examining how digital involvement influences the youth’s perception and engagement with space. Given the nature of this study, the interview process and Photovoice method were employed to understand the digital-related behaviours of the youth. The findings underscore the positive impact of digital engagement on well-being while emphasising the need for a balanced approach to foster optimal engagement.

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How to Cite
Nguyen, T. and Goldstein, S. (2024) “Exploring the Digital Practices of the Youth: A Case Study of Saigon Zoo and Botanical Garden”, The Journal of Public Space, 9(2), pp. 199–208. doi: 10.32891/jps.v9i2.1796.
Issue
Vol. 9 No. 2 (2024): Young Gamechangers
Section
Non Academic / Case study
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Author Biographies

Thien Nguyen, Trinity College

Thien Nguyen is an undergraduate student at Trinity College with a passion for applied psychology. Having spent her time working on multiple independent research projects, she discovered a profound interest in understanding human memory, emotion, along with their contributing factors. Her current research interest focuses on the interplay between spatial environments and human well-being. To date, she has completed two certificates in Global Health and Human Ecology, and Multidisciplinary Approaches to Climate Emergency at Trinity College.

Shoshana Goldstein, Trinity College

Shoshana Goldstein is an academic and urban planner with a master’s in international affairs from the New School, where she focused on the comparative urban development experiences of India and China, and a PhD in City and Regional Planning from Cornell University, with specializations in international planning, South Asian History, and Landscape Architecture. Her research investigates histories of urban planning in India and North America, exploring themes of mobility justice, housing precarity, and placemaking among marginal and migrant communities. Prior to earning her doctorate, Goldstein worked for the India China Institute and as a consultant for the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs and UNICEF. She has taught intro and advanced GIS for planners, courses on migration, infrastructure, and housing. As a teacher, she promotes student-led inquiry, interdisciplinary and applied perspectives, and methods in the classroom.

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