Newsgroups: bit.listserv.seasia-l
Date:         Tue, 15 Sep 1992 15:46:33 +1000
From:         lulu@COOMBS.ANU.EDU.AU
Subject:      PH: Conference Report

A Report on The Fourth International Philippine Studies Conference
(1-3 July 1992, ANU Campus)

By Dr Ron May, Dept of Political and Social Change, RSPacS, ANU
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

The most important events for academics interested in the Philippines have
become the International Philippine Studies Conferences held at intervals
of three to four years. The three conferences before 1992 were held in the
USA and the Philippines. The fourth conference, organized jointly by the
Philippine Studies Association of Australia (PSAA) and the Australian
National University's (ANU) Department of Political and Social Change, was
held at the Australian National University on 1-3 July 1992.  The hosting
of this event by Australian institutions emphasized the growth of
Philippine studies in Australia over the past two decades and the high
status accorded to this Australian work both domestically and
internationally

With generous assistance from the Australian International Development
Assistance Bureau (AIDAB), the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and
the Australian Embassy in Manila, the Research School of Pacific Studies,
ANU, the University of Canberra, the Australian Defence Force
Academy-University College, UNSW, the School of Sociology UNSW, James Cook
University, the University Co-operative Bookshop, and CRA Ltd,  28 scholars
from the Philippines were able to attend under full sponsorship
(representatives from the Philippines numbered 40 in all).   Together with
'Filipinist' specialists from North America, Japan, the Netherlands,the UK,
Hong Kong, New Zealand and Australia  this brought total conference
registration to around 200. About 30 papers across a range of topics were
presented by Australian Filipinist scholars a further indication of the
strength and depth of Philippine studies in Australia.

Since 1992 marked the centenary of the founding of the nationalist  Liga
Filipina by Jose Rizal and the anti-colonial Katipunan by Andres Bonifacio
the conference adopted as its theme '1892-1992 Imagining the Nation'.
Participants were invited to reflect on the current state of theory and
knowledge on the Philippines and on how it assists us to understand the
past, to make sense of the present, and to peer into an uncertain future.

The organizers were overwhelmed with papers, almost 100, and were delighted
with the quality and range of the topics offered and presented. Coming in
the aftermath of the Philippines second post-Marcos election, the
conference commenced a timely discussion of the conduct,outcome and
significance of the 1992 election (with papers from Eva-Lotta Hedman of
Cornell, Cristina Montiel of Ateneo de Manila University - who is currently
visiting the ANU - and Artemio Palongpalong,Dean of the UP's Asian Studies
Center); of the Aquino Legacy (Amando Doronila of the Manila Chronicle and
Belinda Aquino from the University of Hawaii's Center for Philippine
Studies); of economic policy in the post-Aquino era (with Bruce Tolentino,
then undersecretary of the Philippines' Department of Agriculture as the
principal speaker), and of foreign policy and regional security (Queenie
Balaba from Griffith and Aileen Baviera and Peter Payoyo from UP).

Several panels were denoted to discussion of women, in history and the
arts, in international migration, in development, and in relation to
religion and power. Among the speakers in these panels were former ANU
Research Fellow, Mila Guerrero, of the UP, Socorro Reyes of the
Philippines' Congressional Research and Training Service, and Anne Smith of
the Australian Department of Immigration, Local Government and Ethnic
Affairs.

Further panels covered various aspects of Philippine colonial history,
literature, ethnography, environment, population and health, class and
labour relations, insurgency, land reform, and development (with a panel
devoted to the role of NGOs).

Other conference activities included a launching of three books published
in the Philippines, by Australian scholars, a viewing and discussion of
Gary Kildea's new film, Valencia Diary, a display of selected books on the
Philippines by Australian authors, an exhibition of Philippine textiles at
the Australian National Gallery (as part of the Asian Exhibit organized by
Robyn Maxwell), and a tour of  the National Library's Asian Collections.
There was also the premier of Merlinda Bobis's exciting dramatic
presentation of her epic poem, 'Daragang Magayon: The Nameless One'. This
original work was performed by members of the University of Wollongong
Creative Arts Department and directed by Merlinda Bobis who is currently
undertaking doctoral studies there. An updated Directory of Filipinist
Scholars in Australia was also prepared by Paul Mathews for distribution to
participants at the conference. .

Among the eminent non-Filipino scholars from overseas were Chester Hunt,
Ben Anderson and Lela Noble of the USA, Yoko Yoshikawa of Japan, and
Nicholas Tarling of New Zealand. But of particular value was the
substantial participation of young scholars, from the Philippines,
Australia and elsewhere.

Due to the energetic efforts of members of the Philippine Studies
Association from various Australian campuses, the support of students and
members of the Philippine community in Canberra, the hospitality of the
Philippine Embassy in Canberra, and the herculean efforts of coordinator
and bacvkup team, the conference ran with an almost miraculous smoothness
and congeniality, and provided a valuable forum for the exchange of ideas
and business cards.  It introduced a number of rising Filipino scholars to
Australia (and vice versa), while  providing an opportunity to demonstrate
the depth of Philippine studies in Australia and to establish stronger
links between academics in both countries. The unanticipated consequence of
he conference was the request for Australian studies in the Philippines.

[end]
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My apologies for this belated posting - but better late than never! Full
list of papers follows this posting. I shall be posting a series of
abstracts of the papers from the conference this month. There are no plans
for publishing the proceedings, but our department will make available the
papers that have been submitted, for a small fee. The papers on women and
development may be published as a book at some future date.
Please address all enquiries to me at the address below.
*******************************************
Lulu Turner
Dept of Political & Social Change
Research School of Pacific Studies
Australian National University
GPO Box 4, Canberra  ACT 2601
AUSTRALIA

tel: (06) 249 0173
fax: (06) 257 1893
e-mail (Internet): lulu@coombs.anu.edu.au
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