TWSC and UdM docu wins at the Singkuwento International Film Festival

The Third World Studies Center is very proud to announce that "Naglalahong Pamana (Fading Heritage)" a documentary produced in partnership with the Department of Political Science of the Université de Montréal under the REINVENTERRA (International Research Network on Exploitation and Usage of Nature, Land, and Resources in Africa, Asia, and Latin America) Project, has been awarded Best Documentary Film and Golden Philippine Eagle Festival Director's Choice at the Singkuwento International Film Festival (SIFF) by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA).

The 3rd SIFF was held last 19 to 27 February 2016 at the NCCA in Intramuros, Manila. "Naglalahong Pamana" will have repeat screenings at the Cine Adarna, UP Film Institute, UP Diliman on 2-4 and 7-8 March 2016. 

ABOUT THE DOCUMENTARY

"Naglalahong Pamana" is co-directed by Lucy Lavirotte, Jerrica Manongdo, Berna Sastrillo, and David Simantov-Levi. 

Panglima Kenisio Malasan is a traditional leader of a Palaw’an tribe. Through him, the tribe’s tradition is passed on to the next generation—a tradition rooted in the land. But the Panglima wonders how their way of life can endure in the face of relentless encroachment of palm oil plantations. In a poignant dialogue between father and son, the Panglima and his child share fears for the future of their tribe.

TWSC Director and research staff receive awards from CSSP

The TWSC is very pleased to announce that its Director, Dr. Ricardo T. Jose, and members of its research staff, Miguel Paolo P. Reyes and Elinor May K. Cruz were recognized at the Parangal para sa KAPPamilya 2016 held last 19 Fenruary 2016 at Room 207, Palma Hall, College of Social Sciences and Philosophy, UP Diliman.

The Parangal para sa KAPPamilya 2016 was held as part of the year's celebration of the CSSP Week (15-20 February 2016.

A Public Lecture by Dr. Jeffrey Gale Williamson

The Asian Center, University of the Philippines Diliman will be hosting a public lecture, “The Commodity Export, Growth, and Distribution Connection in Southeast Asia, 1500–1940,” by Professor Jeffrey Gale Williamson, PhD on 9 March 2016, 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the 2F, Seminar Room, Hall of Wisdom, GT-Toyota Asian Cultural Center, Asian Center, University of the Philippines Diliman. The lecture is FREE and OPEN TO THE PUBLIC; seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis. Register here.

Below is an overview of Professor Williamson’s lecture, where

he “explores Southeast Asia’s trade, growth, and inequality performance over the four and a half centuries from 1500 to 1940. It identifies the determinants of the commodity export performance – falling trade costs, income growth of its rich trading partners, and improved supply conditions at home. It also explores its impact on Southeast Asia’s growth performance: trade specialization generated more macro volatility, de-industrialization, rising colonial power, and greater inequality up to World War 1, but these forces turned around in the region thereafter, including some modest industrial catch-up. Finally, the paper elaborates on the distributional impact and colonial profitability of commodity export booms and busts throughout the last century.”

Organized by the UP Asian Center and co-sponsored by the UP Third World Studies Center, this lecture is based on Professor Williamson’s chapter published in The Routledge Handbook of Southeast Asian Economics (2014).

ABOUT THE LECTURER

Professor Jeffrey G. Williamson is Laird Bell Professor of Economics and Professor Emeritus at Harvard University and currently Visiting Professor at the School of Economics, University of the Philippines Diliman. An Honorary Fellow at the Department of Economics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, he has written several books on economics, including Globalization and the Poor Periphery before 1950 (MIT 2006), Trade and Poverty: When the Third World Fell Behind (MIT 2011), and The Cambridge History of Capitalism (2 vols. 2014: ed. with Larry Neal), among others. Professor Williamson also served as President of the Economic History Association (1994–1995), and Chairman of the Harvard Economics Department (1997–2000).

TWSC Director Dr. Ricardo T. Jose is 2016 UPAA Distinguished Alumni Awardee

The UP Third World Studies Center is extremely proud to announce that our Director, Dr. Ricardo T. Jose is recipient of the 2016 University of the Philippines Alumni Association Distinguished Alumni Award in Historical Scholarship and Research.

Below is an excerpt from Dr. Jose's nomination for the award:

Dr. Ricardo T. Jose is the country’s preeminent scholar on the Second World War in the Philippines and the Asia-Pacific. A distinction he earned not only from his peers in the academe, both here and abroad, but also from the media and the public. He is also an expert in Japan-Philippine relations and the United States’s colonial rule of the Philippines. Dr. Jose’s preeminence in his chosen fields came about through his unparalleled devotion to excellent scholarship, his indefatigable intellectual curiosity coupled with meticulousness in research, and his generosity with his time and intellect....Awarding Dr. Jose with a Distinguished Alumnus Award not only affirms that his standards of scholarship are those that should be emulated, a true epitome of the academic values that the University stands for. Giving Dr. Jose such an honor affirms that for an alumnus of the national university, leading a life of the mind does not mean holing up in an ivory tower—it involves constantly finding ways to tie up one’s scholarly pursuits with the needs of the national community today and tomorrow.

FORUM 2 ng 2016 UP TWSC Public Forum Series

Malugod na iniimbitahan ang publiko na dumalo sa ikalawang forum ng 2016 UP TWSC Public Forum Series na pinamagatang, "Anim na Tanong sa Anim na Taon: Ang mga Agham Panlipunan at Pilosopiya at ang Papalitang Rehimeng Aquino."

Tampok sila Dr. Aries A. Arugay ng Departamento ng Agham Pampulitika at Dr. Francisco J. Lara Jr. ng Departamento ng Sosyolohiya bilang mga tagapagsalita sa forum na ito. Si Dr. Arugay ay tatalakay sa mga inisyatiba--o ang kawalan nito--na baguhin ang mga institusyong pulitikal para mapaunlad ang mas malawakang partisipasyong pulitikal sa kanyang, "Institutions Matter! Redesigning Representation and Philippine Democratization." Si Dr. Lara naman ay susuriin ang patuloy pa ring karahasan sa Mindanao sa kabila ng peace process sa kanyang, "Peace Processes and Resilient Conflict in Mindanao: Status and Perspectives."

Gaganapin ang forum na ito sa ika-18 ng Pebrero 2016 (Huwebes), mula 2:00 hanggang 4:00 ng hapon, sa Pulungang Claro M. Recto, Bulwagang Rizal, Kolehiyo ng Arte at Literatura, Unibersidad ng Pilipinas-Diliman.

Para sa mga recordings ng forum na ito, pumunta sa link na ito.

TUNGKOL SA MGA PRESENTASYON

Institutions Matter! Redesigning Representation and Philippine Democratization

Dr. Aries A. Arugay, Department of Political Science, College of Social Sciences and Philosophy, UP Diliman

While the Philippines had no dearth of competent and good leaders, it does have lack leadership oriented toward building inclusive, representative, and mass-based political institutions. After almost 20 years of existence, is the 2016 elections a good opportunity to embark on redesigning the representative institutions of our democratic regime? The changes and reforms need to be oriented toward increasing access to the country's political institutions, improving government responsiveness and accountability, and limiting undue prerogatives and incentive of political elites to further monopolize political power.

Peace Processes and Resilient Conflict in Mindanao: Status and Perspectives

Dr. Francisco J. Lara Jr., Department of Sociology, College of Social Sciences and Philosophy, UP Diliman

Dr. Lara will present empirical evidence of the continuing conflict in Mindanao and the prospects for a political settlement in the near future. He will also share newly emerging risks of violence and their implications for development and peace.


MGA LITRATONG KUHA MULA SA FORUM:

ANG 2016 UP TWSC PUBLIC FORUM SERIES

Anim na Tanong sa Anim na Taon: Ang mga Agham Panlipunan at Pilosopiya at ang Papalitang Rehimeng Aquino

May sapat bang nasasabi ang mga disiplina ng agham panlipunan at pilosopiya sa usapin ng pagpapalit ng administrasyon, sa pagtataya ng nagawa nito, at sa paghahanda para sa susunod? O naging mga “analyst”/“expert” na tagatingi na lamang ng sound bites ang mga akademiko sa mga TV news magazine shows? Nagiging palamuti na nga lang ba ang mga akademiko para sa mga balita na nangangailangan ng tagapagsalitang may autoridad para pagtibayin lamang ang mga litaw naman nang mga obserbasyon? Taga-tuon na lamang ba sila ng pansin ng publiko sa mga isyung ang pagiging napapanahon ay dikta ng news cycle at ng mga nilutong iskandalo? Hindi iilan sa mga kilalang akademiko ang may sariling pulpito sa midya, pero kadalasan reaktibo ang pagsusulat nila at ang pagsusuri ay minadali para makahabol sa init ng balita. May ilan pa ngang tahasang propagandista ng mga interes na pasimple o garapalan nilang pinagsisilbihan. 

Sinasabi ng UP Charter na bahagi ng serbisyo publiko ng unibersidad ang pagbibigay nito ng dalubhasa at teknikal na gabay sa pamahalaan, sa pribadong sektor, at sa lipunang sibil nang hindi ikinokompromiso ang panuntunan nito ng husay. Natutugunan ba ito ng mga akademikong taga-agham panlipunan at pilosopiya sa labas ng kundisyong itinakda ng midya? Ano ang masasabi ng mga disiplina sa yugtong ito ng pagpapalit ng mga nasa kapangyarihan? Nakabatay ang paniningil na ito sa pagpapalagay na nasa interes ng mga akademiko, lalo na ng mga nasa nasabing disiplina, na suriin ang kontemporaryong kalagayan ng lipunan. Pero tila napag-iiwanan na ang mga disiplinang ito at hindi makaambag sa paglikha ng bago at kritikal na diskurso tungkol sa mga napapanahong isyung panlipunan. Hiwalay na usapin rin kung naipapaunawa nga ba ang mga kritikal na pananaw na ito sa publikong dapat sana dito makikinabang.

Inilulunsad ng Third World Studies Center (TWSC) ang serye ng mga public forum na ito upang direktang tugunan ng mga disiplina at ng kanilang mga hinirang na akademiko ang kambal na hamon ng limitado, pili, at pilit na pampublikong pakikisangkot at ng inaasahang husay na dapat na dinadala nila sa mga isyung pampubliko na ginagarantiya ng UP Charter. Sa punto de bista ng bawat disiplina, paano ba dapat unawain ang pagtatapos ng isang rehimen at ang paglipat ng kapangyarihan tungo sa isa pa? Ano bang dapat mga parametro para sukatin ang nagawa, at hindi—pero dapat—ginawa ng bawat administrasyon? Sa forum series na ito ay bibigyan ng espasyo para talakayin sa publiko ng bawat disiplina—higit pa sa sound bites at timeliness ng isyu—nang may lalim at lawak ang mga isyu na sa kanilang palagay ay dapat napagtuunan ng patapos ng rehimeng Aquino at/o mapagtuunan ng hahaliling gobyerno sa 2016, ayon sa mga partikular na interes ng kani-kanilang disiplina. May partikular na urgency ang diskusyong ito, lalo pa’t nakataya dito ang pagpapatuloy ng mga tinaguriang repormistang polisiya ng kasalukuyang administrasyon. 

Pagpapatuloy ang public forum series na ito sa pagsasaligsig ng TWSC sa rehimeng Aquino. Noong 2011 ay nagkaroon ng forum series na sumubok pangunahan kung papaano patatakbuhin ni Aquino ang kanyang administrasyon. Pinamagatang “The B.S. Aquino Administration: Possible Perversities, Perverted Possibilities,” lumutang sa apat na forum sa serye na ito ang kalauna’y naging pangunahing pagkukulang ng administrasyon--ang hindi pagtupad sa mga matatapang na pangako ng reporma na siyang mismong nagpapanalo kay Aquino sa pagkapangulo. Napako nga ang mga pangako dahil sa pagpapabor ni Aquino sa mga “kaibigan, kaklase at kabarilan” bilang mga tao sa kanyang gobyerno at sa mismong pagpo-protekta sa kanila mula sa pag-uusig sa tuwing masasangkot sa mga anomalya (hal. sina dating DILG Undersecretary Rico Puno at dating PNP Director General Alan Purisima). 

Kaakibat rin na layon ng public forum series na ito na kasangkutin ang mga batang henerasyon sa paglikha ng bago at kritikal na diskurso sa mga isyung bumagabag sa kasalukuyang administrasyon at patuloy pa ring babagabag sa mga susunod. Ang talakayang ito ay inaasahang kokontra sa nakababahalang pag-arangkada ng mga grupo sa social media na nagsasabing Ginintuang Panahon ang mga taong nasa ilalim ang Pilipinas ng diktadurang Marcos—na kinabibilangan sa karamihan ng mga kabataang pumupuna sa mga pagkukulang ng administrasyong Aquino bilang munisyon sa pagbalewala sa mga alaala ng pang-aabuso ng diktadura at sa argumentong wala namang naidulot na kongkretong benepisyo sa bansa ang EDSA 1 at lalo pa ngang naghirap ang Pilipinas.

Mindanao: Nationalism, Jihadism and Frustrated Peace (A Public Lecture)

The Asian Center, University of the Philippines Diliman will be hosting a public lecture, “Mindanao: Nationalism, Jihadism and Frustrated Peace” by Dr. Nathan Quimpo on Monday, 15 February 2016, 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Seminar Room, Hall of Wisdom, GT-Toyota Asian Cultural Center, Asian Center, University of the Philippines Diliman. The lecture is free and open to the public; seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis. To reserve seats, please click here to sign up.

Organized by the UP Asian Center, UP Department of Political Science, and the UP Third World Studies Center, this lecture is based on Dr. Quimpo’s forthcoming article of the same title, which will be published in the Journal of Asian Security and International Affairs in April 2016. 

ABOUT THE LECTURE

This article examines why the decades-old Moro insurgency in Mindanao, southern Philippines, has remained difficult to resolve, and how recent international developments such as the jihadization of once secular ethno-nationalist movements and the rise of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) have influenced it. The author argues that jihadism made significant inroads in the Moro nationalist struggle already in the 1990s, way before 9/11, and that since 2007, a more moderate Islamism has gained ascendancy. He argues further that the Moro insurgency has remained intractable because of grave errors committed by the Arroyo and Aquino administrations; recurrent outbursts of anti-Moro hysteria incited by demagogic politicians; and a continuing weak third party role in the Mindanao peace process. He warns that the apparent collapse of the most recent peace pact between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) poses the danger of the possible rise of new ISIS-linked jihadist groups.

ABOUT THE LECTURER

Nathan Gilbert Quimpo, a long-time political activist in the Philippines before turning to an academic career, has taught at the University of the Philippines, University of Amsterdam and Sophia University (Tokyo), and is currently an associate professor of political science and international relations at the University of Tsukuba, Japan. Quimpo has authored Contested Democracy and the Left in the Philippines after Marcos (Yale University Southeast Asia Studies, 2008), co-authored Subversive Lives: A Family Memoir of the Marcos Years (Anvil, 2012), and published articles in Comparative Politics, Pacific Review, Asian Survey, Southeast Asian Affairs and Critical Asian Studies. His research and teaching interests include: democracy, democratization and democratic governance; conflict and peace studies; political corruption; and Southeast Asian politics.