Ideology and Ideological Struggles in Thai Children's Picture Books : A Case Study of the “Wadwang” Series DOI:

Abstract

In this paper, eight titles from the “Wad Wang (Drawing Hope)” children picture book set were explored as cultural texts in relation to the Thai socio-political context. The study aims 1) to explore ideologies manifested in the “Wad Wang” children picture book set, and 2) to investigate linguistic strategies utilized to express political struggles in the book set. This study utilized qualitative research design. Data collection was conducted using documentary data analysis. Textual analysis and discourse analysis with ideology as the conceptual framework were utilized for data analysis literary texts were examined to determine how ideologies were conveyed at verbal and non-verbal levels. “Wad Wang” children picture book set portrayed democratic ideology as its central focus with 4 key characteristics - 1) emphasis on rights and freedoms such as freedom of thought, expression and human dignity, often invoking public figures as references, 2) a call for equality across social levels through reflection on injustice, 3) questioning of state legitimacy, and 4) promotion of active political participation among citizens. Examination of linguistic strategies identified in 5 key strategies - 1) positive-negative lexical choices to construct value frameworks between people and those in power, 2) creation of new political terms to expand on citizenship, 3) invocation of public figures linking to political struggle history, 4) creation of political oppositions such as freedom/oppression and people/power holders, and 5) a narrative structure of “struggle, emancipation and triumph,” using characters’ utterances to create hopeful stories in readers’ consciousness. The results help in broadening understanding of children’s literature and support discourse analysis in the Thai context, and may guide the academics and kids content creators in recognizing the role of children’s picture books in shaping ideological beliefs, as the “Wad Wang” book set serves as a discursive space for ideological struggles through linguistic, visual and narrative elements, transforming democratic ideology into a social value while portraying oppressive power structures as antagonists to human values, and reflecting the relationship between children’s literature, ideology and Thai society.