Politics, Power, and Social Transformation in the Philippines: Towards a Contemporary Research Agenda

The Third World Studies Center (University of the Philippines-Diliman) and the Conflict Research Group (Ghent University, Belgium) jointly organized a workshop entitled “Politics, Power, and Social Transformation in the Philippines: Towards a Contemporary Research Agenda,” held last 3-4 February 2017 at the Third World Studies Center, College of Social Sciences and Philosophy, University of the Philippines-Diliman.

The election of President Rodrigo Duterte, the ongoing insurgencies and peace processes, the evolving role of (social) media, and the imposition of controversial policies such as the hero’s burial of former president Ferdinand Marcos and the war on drugs are but some of the recent developments that warrant academic reflection on the way we think about politics and power in the context of social transformation.

While public discussion about these matters is flourishing, academic reflection can help us to contextualize and historicize some of these events. It is with these considerations in mind that the organizing institutions aim to bring together a group of scholars around the following three objectives:

1. To create a space for, and build upon, discussion and reflection on Philippine politics and society;
2. To discuss directions for a contemporary research agenda; and
3. To explore opportunities for collaborative outputs and enhancing the impact of engaged scholarship.

Participants in the workshop include Ms. Meanne Manahan of Focus on the Global South, Mr. Mong Palatino of Bagong Alyansang Makabayan-Metro Manila, Ms. Karol Ilagan of the Philippine Center or Investigative Journalism, Professor Miriam Coronel Ferrer of the Department of Political Science, UP Diliman, Ms. Nash Tysmans, Dr. Gus Gatmaytan of the Institute of Anthropology, Ateneo de Davao University, and Prof. Brian Ventura of the Division of Social Sciences, UP Visayas. Dr. Rosanne Rutten, Dr. Armando Malay Jr., and Dr. Zosimo Lee were mentors while Dr. Joachim Voss, Prof. Clod Yambao, and Robin Thiers were observers.

Prof. Karl Poblador of the Department of History, UP Diliman, Dr. Jeroen Adam and Steven Schoofs of the Conflict Research Group, Ghent University, and Joel F. Ariate Jr., May Cruz, and Miguel Reyes moderated discussions.

PHOTOS

Day One

Day Two