Cultural narratives and educational goals: a discourse analysis of university presidents' opening convocation speeches in the U.S. and China.
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| Title: | Cultural narratives and educational goals: a discourse analysis of university presidents' opening convocation speeches in the U.S. and China. |
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| Authors: | Kong, Mingxuan1 (AUTHOR) kongminxuan@mail.dlut.edu.cn, Liu, Wenyu1 (AUTHOR) |
| Source: | Discourse: Studies in the Cultural Politics of Education. Dec2025, Vol. 46 Issue 6, p743-755. 13p. |
| Subject Terms: | *Educational objectives, *Cultural values, *Storytelling in education, *College presidents, *Philosophy of education, *Discourse analysis, Speeches, addresses, etc., Countries |
| Geographic Terms: | United States, China |
| Abstract: | This study conducts a comparative corpus-assisted discourse analysis (CADS) of opening convocation speeches delivered in 2023 by university presidents in the United States and China. The aim is to explore their pedagogical philosophies, educational goals, and core values, uncovering the socio-cultural narratives that shape higher education discourse in each country. The research begins by examining the top 50 keywords to highlight the primary similarities and differences in the speeches. Following this, a contextual analysis of specific keywords such as 'community', '学校' (xue xiao, school), 'freedom', and '创新' (chuang xin, innovation) is performed. This analysis reveals how these concepts are framed differently within each cultural context, reflecting broader educational and national values. The study finds that American speeches tend to emphasize community, individuality, freedom of speech, and academic freedom, while Chinese speeches focus on government-led innovation and collective social progress. These distinctions are linked to the respective cultural and political frameworks, offering insights into leadership communication in higher education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Copyright of Discourse: Studies in the Cultural Politics of Education is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) | |
| Database: | Education Research Complete |
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| Abstract: | This study conducts a comparative corpus-assisted discourse analysis (CADS) of opening convocation speeches delivered in 2023 by university presidents in the United States and China. The aim is to explore their pedagogical philosophies, educational goals, and core values, uncovering the socio-cultural narratives that shape higher education discourse in each country. The research begins by examining the top 50 keywords to highlight the primary similarities and differences in the speeches. Following this, a contextual analysis of specific keywords such as 'community', '学校' (xue xiao, school), 'freedom', and '创新' (chuang xin, innovation) is performed. This analysis reveals how these concepts are framed differently within each cultural context, reflecting broader educational and national values. The study finds that American speeches tend to emphasize community, individuality, freedom of speech, and academic freedom, while Chinese speeches focus on government-led innovation and collective social progress. These distinctions are linked to the respective cultural and political frameworks, offering insights into leadership communication in higher education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
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| ISSN: | 01596306 |
| DOI: | 10.1080/01596306.2025.2465290 |
