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Setting the tone about HRD in Southeast Asia: A discourse analysis of ASEAN Secretary-General Speeches
Keywords
HRD, Southeast Asia, Discourse Analysis
Session Abstract
This study applies discourse analysis to the speeches of Secretaries-General of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) from 2008-2021 to understand the implicit and explicit representations of human resource development (HRD) in the regional organization of ASEAN and how these representations may influence regional HRD policy and practice.
Session Description
In 2008, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations enacted its charter with one of its purposes being, "to develop human resources through closer cooperation in education and life-long learning, and in science and technology, for the empowerment of the peoples of ASEAN and for the strengthening of the ASEAN Community." Since then, it has had three Secretaries-General (Surin Pitsuwan, Le Luong Minh, and Lim Jock Hoi) who have set the tone for how people and their development are communicated. This study seeks to understand how these leaders of a regional organization have represented human resource development (HRD) in over 130 speeches (over 140,000 words) between 2008-2021. Using methodological foundations of content analysis and political discourse analysis, this study synthesizes the implicit and explicit representation of people as they relate to their value as resources in the region of Southeast Asia. Findings reveal the primary beneficiaries and actors associated with HRD in ASEAN, the related programs and institutions mentioned alongside HRD, the specific motivations for HRD, and the representations of HRD by these regional leaders in the Southeast Asian context. Implications are provided along with a discussion and conclusions about the influence of regional leader discourse on HRD policy and practice.