Abstract

Language is a fundamental tool of human life. It is also an important carrier of the development of human society. For an individual, language is a mark of ethnic identity; for a nation, it is not only an important way of realizing national identity; but also important resource of promoting nation building and its development. As contemporary society is developing and changing, language competition is now at its full blast. Examples at home and abroad show that there exist increasingly prominent contradictions between national lingua franca and ethnic languages and dialects; and conflicts between mother tongues and foreign languages are also included. These contradictions have become common challenges facing the world. Therefore, how to deal with the relation between languages and dissolve the language conflicts has become an unavoidable significant security issue. Therefore, this project has important realistic significance. The research purpose, by comparing the comprehensive research of language education policy（LEP）of Southeast Asian countries, is to get an overall understanding of the national language education conditions and the change of social development in this area; and thereby to provide important suggestions in terms of language education while formulating the development strategies of Southeast Asian countries.

Based on the related theory of public policy science, education policy science, linguistics and pedagogy, this book is to conduct a comprehensive study on the LEP of Southeast Asian countries. In terms of the research contents, the diachronic study of LEP, the study from the types of languages, as well as the factors influencing the LEP choice are included in the main contents of the research. The study focuses on four major issues, covering from the evolution course of LEP of Southeast Asian countries, to policy implementation, basic characteristics of LEP, and dynamic relations between LEP and national identity and nation building. On this basis, the book tries to improve an ideal and systematic paradigm of LEP system.

In regard to the research methods, according to the characteristics of the research objects, this research mainly adopts literature research method, comparative research method and critical LEP research method for a comprehensive and mixed study. On the route of LEP analysis, it mainly adopts public policy“elements-process-value”three-dimensional analysis method that the author manages to build. In the process of analyzing the policies, this book applies the three links of policy implementation process: policy formulation-policy executionpolicy results. By applying the three-dimensional analyses, this research tries to evaluate the subject, action and influence factors behind each link. Through the combination of two approaches, the book comprehensively analyzes LEP formulation, implementation and results of Southeast Asian countries.

On the cine of thinking of writing this book, there are mainly three types:the first thought is to research LEP from the factors affecting LEP. There might be many factors influencing the formulation, implementation and their results on of national LEP. The book briefly analyses several main factors influencing on LEP, such as social situations, political environment, language ideology and systems of education. Through the analysis of these factors, it is conducive to carry on a complete in-depth analysis and understanding of LEP of Southeast Asian countries. The second thought is to have a detailed study of LEP of Southeast Asian countries. One is the study of the evolution of LEP from the diachronic angle. It takes the history of language education and LEP in Southeast Asia as the main line to analyze the LEP of the countries in this region. The other is to analyze and comprehend LEP from the dimension of language types. The language types can be divided from the perspective of language status and language functions. From the perspective of language functions, language can be divided into official languages, foreign languages and minority languages. While from classification of language status, languages may be classified into dominant languages and non-dominant languages. The third thought is to analyze the problems existing in the implementation of the LEP in Southeast Asia countries, and discusses how language education could promote nation building and development. The eleven countries in this research are divided into two categories: one belongs to the types of countries that are dominated by a single ethnic group and the other being the types of multiethnic countries. And then the main characteristics of different types of national language education policy are analyzed respectively. Secondly, the book analyzes the main problems existing in the process of the implementation of LEP. Finally, it discusses the relationship between LEP and nation building and development, and proposes how to improve a systematic system of LEP to promote the harmonious development of each country from the perspective of public policy science.

Based on the research of the three main contents, the book comprehensively analyzes and explains the evolution of LEP of Southeast Asian countries, their implementation process, main characteristics and the relationship between LEP and nation building. Therefore, the following basic conclusions are drawn: the first one is that Southeast Asian countries still feature in obvious diversity and complexity, although they might share some common regional characteristics in language education policies. The second one is that the countries with a single ethnic dominance mostly implement monolingual system, while multiethnic countries give priorities to the implementation of bilingualism. The third one is that Southeast Asian countries generally implement English-dominance foreign LEP;and attaching great importance to the English education is both one of the traditional reserves and the needs of reality. The fourth one is that English language has become a dominant language in some Southeast Asia countries, which has a negative effect on the mother tongues, making them enable to become dominant languages in their own countries. And the last one is that a successful LEP helps to form national identity, thus further boosts economic and social development of these countries.