This dissertation examines the cultural, social, environmental, and political factors that shape the spread of diarrhea in Vietnam's Mekong Delta. The case of the Mekong Delta shows why the spread of disease is not merely an epidemiological problem, but an institutional one as well. Social inequalities, the dominance of central-state led discourse, and the lack of participatory health education all contribute to a persistently high incidence of disease. This research calls for a re-politicization and contextualization of public health problems in order to better understand why they occur and...