The Afterlives of Empire: the Case of the Philippines
2008 Exploration Seminar in the Philippines

This program has been cancelled for 2008 - please consider another Exploration Seminar program!

Program Director: Rick Bonus - American Ethnic Studies
Dates of Instruction: August 27 - September 16, 2008

The closure of two large, historically important US military bases in the Philippines reconfigured US-Philippine relations, altered the nature of Filipino nationalism, and, in the face of globalization, transformed the relationship between the people and the state.  This seminar inquires into the various dimensions of these transformations in recent Philippine history. It will ask about the legacy of US colonialism in the Philippines, as it is woven into the fabric of a colonial-Christian culture deeded by Spanish rule on the one hand, and a recalcitrant and contradictory tradition of Filipino revolutionary nationalism on the other.

The first week will be spent discussing the historical and contemporary background for understanding the American role in Asia in general and the Philippines in particular.  Then, participants will travel to different parts of the Philippines, visiting Spanish colonial sites and teeming neighborhoods in Manila, exploring the grounds and outlying areas of two former US military bases that have been converted into industrial-tourist complexes, and meeting with community groups at the University of the Philippines in Los Baños.  An optional excursion (with an extra fee) to the Banaue and Sagada rice terraces may also be offered.

Participants will receive 5 credits for the Autumn 2007 quarter in: AES 498 Special Topics in American Ethnic Studies or CHID 474 Asia Study Abroad (I&S).  Participants should check with their academic advisors to determine how these credits may apply to major requirements.

Student costs:  
$2,000 Program Fee
$200 IPE Fee
Additional costs include: reading materials, airfare, health insurance, and personal expenses.

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