Yogyakarta, July 5, 2026 — A joint research initiative between the Center for Southeast Asian Social Studies (CESASS) at Universitas Gadjah Mada and the Faculty of Vietnamese Studies at Vietnam National University is investigating the long-term impacts of Agent Orange in Vietnam, focusing on collective memory, transgenerational health effects, environmental justice, and ecological change.
The project examines how the legacy of herbicidal warfare during the Vietnam War continues to shape lives more than five decades later. Between 1962 and 1971, extensive aerial spraying of dioxin-contaminated chemical defoliants caused widespread ecological destruction and persistent health consequences, including trans-generational effects associated with dioxin exposure that continue to impact Vietnamese communities today.
As part of its interdisciplinary approach, the research integrates qualitative social science methods with geospatial analysis. Qualitative research will explore how the legacy of herbicidal warfare and Agent Orange is remembered and experienced in contemporary Vietnamese society. Meanwhile, satellite imagery and Land Use/Land Cover (LULC) analysis will enable the research team to compare forest conditions before and after the aerial spraying campaigns, providing insights into long-term changes in forest cover and the enduring environmental impacts of dioxin contamination.
Despite the scale of its impact, awareness of Agent Orange remains limited in neighboring countries, including Indonesia. This gap in public knowledge is one of the key motivations behind the research.
“When I ask students, colleagues, and friends in Indonesia about Agent Orange, almost no one has heard of it,” said lead researcher Dr. Vissia Ita Yulianto of Universitas Gadjah Mada. “This absence of awareness about one of the world’s most devastating toxic legacies is deeply concerning, especially given how close Vietnam is to Indonesia within ASEAN.”
The study draws on sociologist Maurice Halbwachs’ theory of collective memory to examine how experiences of Agent Orange are preserved, transformed, or marginalized through education, survivor testimonies, museums, memorial sites, and community advocacy networks. It also investigates how these memories are transmitted across generations in Vietnam and across Southeast Asia.
Beyond its historical dimensions, the research highlights ongoing environmental and public health challenges, including congenital disabilities, chronic illnesses associated with dioxin exposure, persistent soil contamination, biodiversity loss, and long-term ecosystem degradation. By integrating social research with satellite-based environmental analysis, the project provides a more comprehensive understanding of the interconnected human and ecological consequences of chemical warfare.
The project underscores that remembering Agent Orange is not only an act of historical documentation but also a matter of environmental justice and human rights. It calls for strengthened healthcare support for affected communities, continued ecological restoration efforts, and greater international responsibility in addressing the long-term consequences of chemical warfare.
This collaboration brings together an interdisciplinary team of scholars and researchers, including Dr. phil. Vissia Ita Yulianto, sociocultural anthropologist at CESASS, Universitas Gadjah Mada; Dr. Nguyen Anh Phuong, Faculty of Vietnamese Studies, Vietnam National University; and I Made Andi Arsana, S.T., M.E., Ph.D., Department of Geodetic Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Gadjah Mada. By combining expertise in sociocultural anthropology, Vietnamese studies and geodetic science, the team aims to strengthen regional scholarship and foster deeper academic exchange between Indonesia and Vietnam.
Ultimately, the project seeks to broaden public understanding of Agent Orange as both a historical legacy and an ongoing challenge affecting human health, environmental sustainability, and collective memory. The researchers also hope the study will encourage dialogue among academics, civil society organizations, and policymakers to support long-term justice, remembrance, ecological restoration, and the prevention of toxic warfare in the future.
Reporter: CESASS Team
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