ASEAN PEOPLE-CENTERED REGIONALISM AND STRATEGY TO BUILD ITS PEOPLE’S IDENTITY THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA DISCOURSE

Abstract

The ASEAN community is deeply invested in cultivating a regional identity as part of its commitment to people-centered regionalism. Despite the importance of this endeavor, there remains a significant gap in the public’s awareness of what constitutes an ‘ASEAN identity,’ even among influential elites and member states with a longstanding relationship with the organization. Leveraging the influence of ASEAN as a norm-setting entity, this study aims to explore the organization’s strategies for shaping a collective identity via its Facebook presence. Utilizing a qualitative research design supported by NVIVO 12 Plus for data analysis, this paper argues that social media platforms like Facebook, known for their interactive, participatory, and democratic features, offer ASEAN a valuable channel for fostering a shared understanding of its identity. Our findings indicate that ASEAN prioritizes the creation of shared values over the exploration of the diverse cultural heritage of its member nations. Moreover, the organization emphasizes the importance of prosperity, mutual respect, and ‘unity in diversity’ as key tenets of its collective identity.