Ateneo de Manila University: Journals Online
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Divided We Stand: Bewailing Alien-nation in Esiaba Irobi’s Why I Don’t Like Philip Larkin
Get PDFGenuine euphoria, which accompanied the birth of multi-ethnic Nigeria nation-state in 1960, has been regrettably deflated and more than offset by the onrush of political tension that has ravaged its polity in recent times. Hence, the deforming pressure of inequity in contemporary Nigeria logically stands out as a corollary of political tyranny. From the standpoint of inequity, political marginality ostensibly poses a contentious decoding as it often raises poignant questions in the philosophy of meanings embedded in Esiaba Irobi’s Why I Don’t Like Philip Larkin. In connection to this, the historical referencing of the amalgamation of northern and southern Nigeria in the poetry collection provides a test-case for the thematic quest for Biafra republic’s self-determination. Agonized by a perceived marginality, retreat to nationalism offers Irobi a convenient platform to affirm the predatory and ruthless suppression of the Igbo ethnic group during and after the Nigerian civil war (between 1967 and 1970). This paper asserts that Irobi takes power imbalance for his subject matter in order to build on these contrariety and contradictions. This build-up facilitates the exploration of tension between public duty and personal affections. Remarkably, the paper concludes that Irobi’s poetic thrust of marginality in the collection espouses a fury which verges on resentment at the lopsided Nigeria nation-state
Sustainability Practices in Higher Education: Stakeholder Engagement in Promoting Campus Sustainability
Get PDFUniversities have a role in changing mindsets toward sustainable development through education, research, and extension work. Despite the ongoing trend in favor of sustainability initiatives, however, they themselves struggle to transform organizational practices in their own contexts, especially when trying to get the administration’s buy-in and establish stakeholder engagement. Ateneo de Manila University in particular used its response to the decrees of General Congregation 35 (Society of Jesus, 2008) of the Society of Jesus to serve as the foundation of its campus sustainability programs, especially with respect to its translation into policies that affect the university’s ecological footprint and stakeholder engagement. These programs have led to the articulation of the university’s sustainability policies, administrative structures that support sustainability, and publication of sustainability reports and, more importantly, promoted changes in institutional and personal lifestyles
Historical Dialogue: Conceptualizing and Mapping a Field
Get PDFThis Introduction provides an overview of the term historical dialogue, and its relationship to the fields of transitional justice, memory studies, peacebuilding and conflict transformation. In considering the challenges facing post-conflict societies, the author suggests ways in which these different fields respond to a wide range of challenges that the legacy of violence incurs. With a particular focus on historical dialogue, and the ways in which historical dialogue is framed within the issue, Lang proposes considering history itself as a form of advocacy and an integral component of peacebuilding
Sanut, Wayawaya, and the Naimbag a Biag in Ilokano Philosophy
Get PDFThe essay articulates the fundamental connection of some of the basic concepts in Ilokano ethos as lived in the everyday in order to understand the basic contradictions of the Ilokano way of being in the world (Ilokano ontology), of being in a society marked by good intentions but evil practices. The notion of the good life as a political concept is explored, and its connection to knowledge (Ilokano epistemology) and freedom is established
Transformation of the Self through Islamic Practices in Leila Aboulela’s The Translator
Get PDFThis paper discusses the practice of religious rituals and doctrines and the effects that these have on the protagonist of Leila Aboulela’s The Translator. Although it is a love story that highlights the challenges of a relationship between a young and devout Muslim widow and an agnostic Scottish man, I suggest that the novel’s focus is on the spiritual journey that the protagonist goes through. She is portrayed as a selfish individual who uses religion mainly as an escape from her tragic life, and she has a flawed belief that she can only feel fulfilled if she becomes a wife again. In return, this belief causes her to be deprived of a contented life, as adherence to religious practices is not only a sign of piety but also a means towards gaining the capacity for self-improvement. This is based on Saba Mahmood’s analytical framework of piety that emphasizes the connection between the performance of religious actions and the creation of a moralistic self. In an extension to Mahmood’s argument, using Alison Weir’s suggestion that religious practices must have a clear purpose towards God, I further argue that the protagonist’s religiosity lacks the focus on God. Her desire to be married again suggests a strong dependency on the men in her life, which contradicts her devotion to God, as it demonstrates her inability to put God at the center of her life. This restrains her abilities to improve her life and, more importantly, it inhibits the creation of a relationship with the Divine. The novel therefore suggests that a complete sense of the self can only be achieved when one is able to relinquish worldly desires and depends only on God
Reinforcing Myths about Women in Philippine Culture: Semiotic Analyses of the Sexbomb Girls in Eat Bulaga’s Laban o Bawi
Get PDFMovie and TV stars are an influential part of Philippine society. Not only do they entertain audiences with their television shows or movies, but their private lives and actions are arguably as interesting to the public. Celebrities and stars are admired, idolized, and looked up to by many of their followers, such that their values and actions can greatly influence their fans. However, their images may hold various meanings that are not evident to many people. This study analyzes a group of unconventional stars that changed the landscape of noontime viewing—the Sexbomb Girls—using a semiotic approach. It seeks to reveal the different images of women portrayed by the Sexbomb Girls, and understand how media can reinforce myths. The Sexbomb Girls were a social phenomenon and a product of production that depicted binary oppositions and metaphors: virgin/vamp, loud woman, and ordinary woman. These signs, binary oppositions, and metaphors served as myths that naturalized, influenced, and reinforced sexy female background dancers into becoming an ordinary part of noontime and game shows. Because they appeared six days a week in Eat Bulaga, the Sexbomb Girls have desensitized the Filipino masses such that seeing sexily clad background dancers in these shows has become ordinary and acceptable
Human Gaze sa Telebisyon: Ang “Buhay Iláng” ayon sa Born to be Wild
Get PDFItinatampok ng sanaysay na ito ang diskusyon kung papaano inilalarawan at isinasakatawan ng lingguhang programang dokumentaryo ng GMA Network na Born to be Wild ang mga buhay iláng (wildlife) sa Pilipinas. Gamit ang konsepto ng “human gaze” ni Randy Malamud bilang lente, mapapansing ang mga pagsasalaysay (narrative), musika, at mise-en-scène ng mga episodyo ng nasabing programang pantelebisyon ay naghahayag ng “subalternidad” ng mga buhay iláng. Sa ilalim ng representasyon na ito, inilarawan at isinakatawan ang mga buhay iláng ayon sa mga tropo ng infantilisasyon (infantilization) at obhektipikasyon (objectification). Ang infantilisasyon ng mga buhay iláng ay makikita sa pagturing sa kanila ng dokumentaryo bilang mga nilalang na kawawa (helpless), mahina, at walang kakayahang protektahan ang kanilang sarili laban sa mga maaari nilang maranasang suliranin. Napapasailalim din sa tropong ito ang pagturing sa mga tao bilang tagapagligtas at tagapagprotekta ng mga hayop dahil nga sa kahinaan at pagiging kawawa ng huli. Sa kabilang banda, ang obhektipikasyon naman ng mga buhay iláng sa dokumentaryo ay may tatlong uri. Sila’y tinitignan bilang mga: 1) tanawin (spectacle), 2) libangan (entertainment), at 3) pangangailangan ng tao. Nagpapahiwatig ang human gaze ng pagkiling ng programa sa antroposentrikong (anthropocentric) pananaw
Risoma para sa mga Puno: Mga Konsepto nina Deleuze-Guattari para sa Ekolohiya ng Lungsod Naga, Bikol
Get PDFTinatalakay ng papel kung paano maaaring magamit sa kampanyang pangekolohiya ang mga pagsasateorya nina Deleuze at Guattari, partikular ang dalumat ng tatlong ekolohiya, panitikan ng minorya, at ekosopiya. Inilalarawan ng papel ang aktuwal na pakikibaka at pakikisangkot ng may-akda upang sagipin ang Ilog Naga sa pagbuo ng Susog Salog: The Naga River Arts and Culture Initiative, ang matatandang puno sa pagpapalapad ng mga kalsada ng Lungsod Naga sa pagkakabuo ng They Grey, We Green (Gana Berde, Abo Pyerde), at Save 651, at iba pang kampanya para sa edukasyong pangkalikasan. Inilalarawan ng papel kung paano maaaring gumana ang dalumat ng risoma sa pagsulpot ng mga kilusang pangkalikasan sa Lungsod Naga, nang walang namumuno, walang herarkiya, walang demokratikong sentralismo, at walang linyang pampolitika. At sa huli, habang pinapansin na wasto at makatuwiran pa rin ang pagsusuring Marxista ng mga uri, bumabaling ang papel sa panawagan ni Guattari para sa mga bagong simulain upang maglingkod sa sangkatauhan, isang sistema na hindi nakaugat sa salapi, bagkus ay sa panlipunan at pang-estetikang pakinabang na maaaring payamanin ang sangkatauhan sa pamamagitan ng proseso at matulungang makaligtas sa krisis pang-ekolohiya at panlipunan