The representation of social actors in debates on the 2006 Thai coup

Abstract

This paper analyses the discursive responses of two Thai political scientists/ public intellectuals to the 2006 coup d'état in Thailand. The coup marked a critical point in a conflict that continues to shape and transform the Thai socio-political context. To construct a persuasive argument and to convince their audiences to accept their interpretations of the events, the two writers represent social actors in different ways, making some prominent over others, foregrounding some, backgrounding others, and excluding some actors altogether. The paper identifies the representations of social actors in the two texts by drawing on van Leeuwen's (2008) social actor network. The writers deploy different patterns of linguistic choices that engage with key social actors represented in the texts, including the government, the military, and the people. These actors are brought into greater or lesser relief depending on the purpose and position of the writers. The representations convey views that the writers are promoting or rejecting with respect to the nature, causes and legitimacy of the coup and some of the competing discourses that were occurring at the time. The study contributes to our understanding of how writers negotiate difficult and sensitive contexts.