Garin Artyom

The Use of Digital Tools in Assessing Laos' ASEAN Chairmanship In 2024

ЮГО-ВОСТОЧНАЯ АЗИЯ: АКТУАЛЬНЫЕ ПРОБЛЕМЫ РАЗВИТИЯ, 2024, №4(65), 142-154

 
Annotation: The chairmanship of Lao P.D.R in ASEAN in 2024 fell on a time of increased rivalry between the major powers, formation of new spatial balance of power, and escalation of disputes over the South China Sea. At the same time, there are issues of synchronising economic development and maintaining unity and centrality in ASEAN. In this context, traditional situational analyses need to be complemented by digital tools to identify complex relationships between events and news narratives. This article analyses Laos' role in ASEAN through historical and regional contexts, small country strategies, and extensive news data. It also aims to identify media coverage dynamics, main themes, and dominant event narratives, combining situational analysis and big data to provide a comprehensive understanding of Laos' 2044 presidency and its impact on ASEAN's information field, ties with Russia, and BRICS+ countries. The source is the Global Data on Events Location and Tone (GDELT) service, which collects real-time reports from around the globe.

Keywords: Laos, ASEAN, Southeast Asia, BRICS, big data