Given the importance of local scholars' understanding of research in their integration into global academia, this study explored the way scholars conceptualised and perceived the meaning of research and their identities as researchers. This article reports data from a qualitative case study using semi-structured interviews to explore the positioning and discursive identity of eight Vietnamese social science scholars. Findings revealed that researchers trained in Vietnam and the Soviet Union understood research as knowledge production, positioning themselves as creators of knowledge and critical thinkers. In contrast, researchers who studied in Western countries considered research a rigorous process, positioning themselves as producers and disseminators of research assessed against given standards in international peer-reviewed journals. This study suggests that in local contexts with a complicated history and unique culture like Vietnam, social science researchers should be encouraged to employ their various local methods to tap into the existing sources of local knowledge.