MESSAGES
2 SINAG SPECIAL ISSUE and subjectivity. The purpose is to reveal the web of relationships, structures, and interconnections behind social reality while considering the complexity of the human being. That way, a bigger and more accurate picture of society is constructed.
ANTONIO CONCEPCION Anyone who is familiar with the discipline will recognize the mark of the sociologist in these articles. Aside from the jargon they use, the way they see the world is most peculiar. As a social scientist, the sociologist seeks to understand the workings of social reality. They are not satisfied with simply locating the causes of effects, say as a doctor who diagnoses a patient. Sometimes, sociologists even obscure the inherent linearity of cause and effects with a more dynamic and dialectic view. They want to see the interaction between quality and quantity, objectivity
As we will see, the sociologist tends to paint a caricature of society that seems to leave man helpless and trapped. (Though at times in history we have seen him gallantly struggle against his own apparent fate.) The realization of our imprisonment however, makes possible the search for true freedom—freedom to self-determination. So regardless how daunting and disenchanting sociology can be, I urge the reader to read on. The authors of this issue who are students of sociology themselves, have taken the liberty and courage to seek these daunting truths and present it to a not-so-always-receptive audience. What the authors are trying to say, to put it generally, is that our society is very complex, often ironic and sometimes tragic. Take for example Cai Antonio’s
SINAG SPECIAL ISSUE SOCIOLOGY FEATURE
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF analysis of rape culture. Do we just call out men who engage in nonconsensual sex but remain silent about the entire culture that is being reproduced online? We have seen women blame rape victims too. Is this issue a conflict between genders or can social class, as Cai suggests, also help explain the apparent “permanence of rape culture?” The second most peculiar thing about sociologists are their sources. Emotions, anecdotes, and personal experiences are used to show that the social and general problems have concrete manifestations in our individual lives. At times, it can get very personal, like reading through a private journal. Graduate student Meg Soriano talks about reconciling with the death of a loved one and finding consolation and the “much-needed nudge to move on” in listening to the stories of hospital patients. From their own positions and experiences, they trace the paths that connects them to others. Adrienne Onday, as a woman herself, shares the experiences of sexually harassed Filipino
women who live in a society where recourse to justice is not always an option and other means have to be sought to speak against oppression. Richard Kahulugan, in his article, deals with an issue that affects all internet users. The online world was his field and as an internet user who “probably spend[s] more time connected on social media than most people,” he discusses the larger impact of online anonymity on how we communicate online. The authors may communicate with the reader in their own unique ways, as Kaj Palanca and Lakan Umali does through poetry or as Aisha Mangune does with her art, but their intent as sociologists is clear: to develop a consciousness and awareness of ourselves, the people around us, and the society that we create. Perhaps then we’ll have the weapons to fight for the justice, equality, and freedom that our country deserves.
EDITORIAL BOARD 2017 - 2018
ANTONIO CONCEPCION EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
ROSSINE FALLORINA ASSOCIATE EDITOR
ZENITH CASTINO ASSOCIATE EDITOR
MACY MARIE ADDUCUL ASSOCIATE EDITOR
AISHA MANGUNE GRAPHICS HEAD
KARLA SANTMARIA LAYOUT HEAD
SINAG EDITOR-IN-CHIEF EDITORIAL BOARD 2017 - 2018
RENEE LOUISE CO EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
DANIEL BRAZA ASSOCIATE EDITOR
ENRIQUE NAVERA MANAGING EDITOR
SEAN APOSTOL LITERARY EDITOR
GIANA LARRAURI FEATURES EDITOR
SOFIA VALERA GRAPHICS HEAD
HERBY ESMERALDA PHOTOGRAPHY HEAD
NIKKA DE TORRES LAYOUT HEAD
RYAN MARTINEZ BUSINESS MANAGER
JETHRO CAMARA WEB ADMINISTRATOR
The burden held by the College of Social Sciences and Philosophy (CSSP) as the “Konsensiya ng Bayan” is an honor that is both humbling and sobering. It is humbling in its reminder of our responsibilities to the people, and sobering in its heavy implications of our actions, especially in our failures. As the conscience of the nation, there is an expectation for its faculty and students to have vast knowledge of the man, history, and society— and from these, the wisdom to know what is right and just. Greater than that, however, is the expectation that CSSP would actively fight for its beliefs, advocating the change that the people deserve. After all, the conscience does not simply provide social awareness nor a moral compass to point to us which is right and wrong; rather, it compels us to employ our moral convictions to practical reason, which ultimately pushes us into action. Appending
“ng bayan” makes clear the direction our conscience-driven actions must take: for the good of the nation, for the people. Meaning, it is not enough that we contentedly discuss the issues of our society and remain in our classrooms and ivory towers. We do not have the privilege to be academic armchairs that simply muse and ramble about the proceedings of the world. Rather, we are “burdened with a glorious purpose”: to be one with the people as we put into practice our lessons and theories to fight for a more just reality. It is with this vision that SINAG continued the precedent established last year of highlighting a field in the social sciences. Last year, SINAG focused on philosophy. This year, we invited sociology students, spearheaded by the department volunteer arm Sociosphere, to create their own full issue about how their various students apply their learnings to better understand our complex social reality.
As a field that attempts to capture the intricate dynamics of and between individuals and social structures, their importance is never to be underestimated. As the current political crisis becomes worse, now more than ever do we need to clearly perceive the role of the agent amidst intensifying oppression. Various authors explore the different aspects of society—with topics ranging from hospital wards to the overall culture of rape and sexual harassment—and their implications on the larger contexts where these phenomena take place. More importantly, they discuss some action steps that equip the reader with better tools of analysis that will provide them ways to change the status quo. Truly, sociology has a significant role in combating injustice. Every year, SINAG intends to feature a field in the College of Social Sciences and Philosophy and show the significance of each field in fulfilling the role of the “konsensiya ng bayan.” Being a
RENEE LOUISE CO reflector and an avenue of sentiments in CSSP and beyond, SINAG hopes to enhance the discourse in Palma Hall and steer our consciousness toward action for the betterment of our society. The title of “konsensiya ng bayan” is indeed intimidating but we must not be disheartened—for the duty of serving the people is empowering. May we all be agents who dismantle the structure of tyranny and may this issue provide insight on how we can all be part of it. Padayon, konsensiya ng bayan!
SINAG SPECIAL ISSUE SOCIOLOGY FEATURE
ORG FEATURES
UP KALIPUNAN NG MGA MAG-AARAL NG SOSYOLOHIYA
For more than 23 years, UP Kalipunan ng mga Mag-aaral ng Sosyolohiya or UP KMS has continued to serve as a home to students, as a training ground for future professionals seeking to develop their skills through out-ofclassroom experiences, and most importantly, as a vehicle to promote the sociological perspective in its four pillars: critical, dynamic, historical, and pro-Filipino. These pillars have guided UP KMS in its mission to aid in the development and growth of its members, the organization, and the society at large. In 2011, Project Aklatan was conceived. The initiative won the College of Social Sciences and Philosophy’s 2016 Best Socio-Civic Event for extending help to underprivileged schools and communities. 2017 saw the introduction of the Undergraduate Sociology Conference, an event which showcased the research prowess of the faculty and students of the Sociology Department. Likewise, its stand-making and educational discussions on national social issues provided a platform for discourse. UP KMS also won CSSP’s 2017 Best Alternative Classroom Learning Experience (ACLE) award when it shed light on the Martial Law era during a tumultuous time. Last February 21, UP KMS celebrated its 24th anniversary—a reminder that with every project, initiative, or activity, each batch of kamasa introduces to the organization, UP KMS will continue to grow and transform to achieve its mission and to make a mark! Empowered, united and scholarly, in UP KMS, kasama ka kamasa!
Fueled by service and volunteerism that is anchored in the sociological imagination, Sociosphere - The Sociology Core Group has recently gone through a number of changes over the years. This was primarily due to the need to organize activities, present advocacies, and make important announcements, all of which contribute to the learning experience of sociology majors. More recently, the use of social media as a platform for sociological discussions was intensified. This widened the audience reach of events by the Sociology Department and Sociosphere apart from its on-the-ground efforts. Serving as the liaison between the university administration and the students, Sociosphere sustained its efforts in fulfilling the students’ academic needs through public lectures, fora, and academic assistance; fostering social awareness through educational discussions and issue-based situationers; and opening up possible career paths and opportunities. Through analyzing and interpreting emerging social contexts using the sociological lens, Sociosphere is as driven as ever in becoming an instrument of the Sociology Department, its members, and constituents in promoting the discipline to the public. This fervor stems from acknowledging the intersection of biography and history, and the self and society—the promise that the sociological imagination offers.
SOCIOSPHERE
3
UP
PRAXIS
UP Praxis has been at the forefront in using the sociological imagination beyond the four corners of the classroom since the year 2000. Its vision as an organization is to improve students’ awareness on national issues that may or may not reach mainstream media through fora, situationers, and educational discussions—tackling such with the level of understanding and empathy that sociological analysis implores. What’s different with what UP Praxis does is the reduction of the power structure between speakers and attendees, allowing everyone to be more open in expressing their views. Talks are also conducted outside the classroom such as the TAGAY (Talakayan ng mga Bagay-Bagay) with the Lumad in Sitio Sandugo which aimed for the students to get a better understanding of the struggles of the marginalized by listening to their stories. This is in line with the organization’s mission of raising consciousness through integrations with the masses, learning their stories, and strongly supporting their fight. The organization has also expanded its support on alliances which forward students’ rights such as Rise for Education and Kanlungan and formations like the Task Force Lakbayan which support the plight of our indigenous brothers and sisters. For 17 years, UP Praxis has been opening its doors to individuals with a passion for sociology and more so, a heart for the masses. It will certainly continue to welcome students from various backgrounds and degrees, shaping them into people who put their theories into practice in the years to come.
Founded amidst the political and social climate of post-EDSA II, The Philippine League of Sociology Students (PLSS) stood at the forefront of uniting sociology students from various institutions in the Philippines in order “to promote and develop Sociology as a discipline for the betterment of the society.” Throughout the past years, PLSS-UP Diliman provided an avenue for the discursive understanding and appreciation of various contemporary Philippine issues through forums, social civic engagements, and conferences both inside and outside the university. As society once again regresses to a state of political flux with economic instability, disinformation, and censorship abound, the League shall confront these issues through the holistic observance of methodological rigor and critical theoretical lens.
PHILIPPINE LEAGUE SOCIOLOGY STUDENTS
FEATURES
4
SINAG SPECIAL ISSUE SOCIOLOGY FEATURE
THE WOMEN BEHIND THE SCENES: DEPARTMENT OF SOCIOLOGY EDITION MARIA FRANCESCA CRUZ
The College of Social Sciences and Philosophy (CSSP) houses numerous departments in its wings. While people are all too familiar with the professors, we have the unsung heroes behind the scenes that keep individual departments together. These heroes are our saving grace during the equally hectic seasons of registration and hell week when an efficient and supportive department staff becomes all the more crucial. More quotidian moments include students looking for certain professors regarding their classes and professors asking for help with their classes from the staff–such usual occurrences
in department offices, although seemingly small in comparison to grand events, are necessary in the life of both professors and students. This is where certain members come in who, without them in the scene, the Sociology Department would not have functioned like an organized and well-oiled machine. In the Sociology Department, there are three prominent women who stand out. With the departure of Antonio “Tony” Oliva who retired in late 2017, Racquel “Kelly” Galamgam entered the department as an Administrative Officer. Despite working in the
What’s unique about the Sociology Department? ATE KHAYE
“Teachers are good critic[s].”
department with Roberto “Bhoyet” de los Santos only for months now, Ate Kelly has already made a lasting impression through her passionate service, from the smallest task of accepting students’ submissions up to the administrative task of preparing disbursement vouchers and reports. Her previous job in the College Secretary’s Office of CSSP has more than equipped her with the necessary skills and work ethic to excel in dealing with the department’s affairs. The other two women have already bid their bittersweet farewell to the department. Katherine “Khaye” Jayme stayed
with the department for 13 years as a University Research Associate while Geneths “Gen” Bulan remained for one year and nine months as Administrative Staff. Ate Khaye’s previous job as a University Research Associate for the History Department did not differ from her work for the Sociology Department which includes providing technical assistance to the Chair through drafting academic reports for university offices. Ate Khaye currently works at the Sentro ng Wikang Filipino while Ate Gen is with the Student Disciplinary Council, both of which are located within the university.
Although all these three women worked in the same office, their individual experiences led them to possess varying perspectives in describing the department. Ate Kelly sees the department as an instrument that continually “equip[s] students to be better social scientists for the society.” Meanwhile Ate Khaye and Ate Gen described it as “one of the best departments” with a “family” dynamic. Interviews were conducted in June 2018 to draw out a more in-depth look of their personal experiences and perspectives.
How do you describe the department regarding its people and the atmosphere of professionalism?
ATE KHAYE
“They are very smart and disciplined with their work.”
ATE KELLY
“They are professional in dealing with students and staff. They are also caring and considerate.”
ATE GEN
ATE KELLY
“Since people here are studying more about society, they are more aware of the different issues in our country and they are considerate about the sensitive issues regarding their students.”
ATE GEN
“Dahil siguro mismo sa ‘Sociology’ department yun. Yung way na magisip yung boss na Sociologist at kakaibang experience.”
“Sobrang napa-feel sakin ng Socio na part ako ng family— from Ate Khaye, Kuya Bhoyet. At yung mga faculty sobrang humble, sobrang maaalalahanin. Pagdating sa pagtrabaho, trabaho na talaga. May ibang faculty na mahigpit pero nasa tama sila. At natuto din ako sa work style at leadership style nila.” What kind of work did/do you do in the department?
ATE KHAYE
Provides technical assistance to the Chair by drafting academic reports to various university offices.
ATE KELLY
I prepare disbursement vouchers and reports and oversee other administrative staff.
ATE GEN
Clerical works.
Do you have any tips for those who want to get in the same work that you do?
ATE KHAYE
“Be very accommodating since there are inquiries from students, teachers and visitors.”
ATE KELLY
“Apply [as] an administrative assistant first so that you will have an idea and training before applying for an administrative officer position.”
ATE GEN
“Kung sinoman ma-hire nila sa naiwan kong position, sobrang kailangan talaga may hawak na ballpen at notebook para ‘di makalimutan yung mga request ng faculty. Madami din kasi sila. Plus maging accommodating at sobrang nice sa mga Socio majors.”
At the end of each interview, each was asked to give a message to Sociology faculty and students. ATE KHAYE
“To Socio Profs: Thank you very much for the memories. I
will never forget working with such brilliant people. I’ve learned so much from you. Mabuhay ang Socio Dept! To students: Have focus. Be patient. Keep on aiming high! And serve the people always!”
ATE KELLY
“I hope Sociology students will continue to aspire for honor and excellence as the UP academic community has always upheld. I hope the Socio [faculty] will continue to guide not just students but also staff like me on my career growth and improvement. Kudos!”
ATE GEN
“Para sa mga ma’am at sir, miss na miss ko na po kayo. Congrats po at na-approve na ang new curriculum natin. Congrats Sir Paeng at sa inyo pong lahat. Sobrang dami kong gustong sabihin para sa kanila. To Socio majors: push lang. Galingan nyo. Sa mga kukuha ng 188, galingan niyo sa mga katitikan. Lagi kasi ako nagpri-print niyan dati. ‘Wag kayo matakot sa mga profs, mababait sila. At reminder, ‘pag tatambay kayo sa dept: chill lang; ‘wag kayo masyado maingay ah.”
SINAG SPECIAL ISSUE SOCIOLOGY FEATURE
FEATURES
5
Reflections on the Life Inside an Oncology Ward MARY GRACE SORIANO I was a sophomore when I decided to shift from BS Biology to BA Sociology due to my experience in a social science class under an instructor who, to my surprise, happened to be a sociologist. I vividly recall her sharing to the class her experience in staying with a household—considered “ultra-poor” and deprived of basic amenities—for a few weeks. What stuck with me from her story was how the family remained kind to her despite the challenges they encountered. The instructor said that they were one of the kindest persons she had ever met as they made her feel comfortable and cared for during her stay. Such rich experiences with fieldwork further piqued my curiosity in sociology. As I have earlier understood from that class, the work of a sociologist seldom takes place within the confines of a lecture hall. Rather, sociologists go out into the world where they observe, participate, and/or experience the phenomena they intend to study. This was made clearer to me when I began participating in fieldwork myself for my undergraduate thesis entitled “The Social World of the Chronically Ill: Exploratory Study into the Life and Narratives of the Patients, Watchers, and Medical Staff in an Oncology Ward.” I chose this research topic because of a very personal experience: my father died from cancer right before the beginning of my final semester as an undergraduate student. The thesis focused on how patients deal with chronic illnesses, specifically cancer, in a ward of a public hospital—a setting wherein certain aspects of social life are limited by its physical boundaries yet, interestingly enough, enables interaction between and among patients, their watchers, and the medical staff. The objective was to describe and analyze the social organization of everyday life inside the oncology ward. Employing a qualitative approach through participant observation and semistructured interviews, I conducted
preliminary visits to get an initial sense of what life was like inside the ward. As students of sociology, we are consistently taught to uphold and observe ethical practice in carrying out research. In the study, the participants were provided with essential details of the project. I explained to them the objectives of the study, the reason why they were selected as participants, the ethics of keeping their identity confidential, their right to refuse to answer questions whenever they wish, and their right to withdraw their participation at any point in time. Finally, I sought their consent to get the ball rolling, as it were. Not everything proceeded smoothly, as expected. After conducting initial observations, I was advised by the head nurse to secure a permit from the Ethics Review Board that approves and manages any researches conducted within the premises. Roadblocks such as these, especially in a highly institutionalized setting, should be anticipated and hurdled, if one hopes to complete any research. Thankfully after having secured the permit, I was able to proceed with further observations and interviews with the patients, watchers, and medical staff. One of the watchers I interviewed—who I called as Ate She—commended the ethical practice of researchers particularly in briefing the participants of the research and in keeping their identity confidential. I further learned from her that some people in the hospital would have wanted to participate in the study but feel reluctant and discouraged due to hiya and the possibility that their identity would be revealed to the public. To address this, I suggest that researchers reassure the participants by reiterating that their identity will be kept confidential and that they have the right to refuse to answer questions and to even withdraw from the study entirely.
I conducted observations in the oncology ward for almost four weeks. During the first few days, I observed that the patients, watchers, and medical staff recognized my presence as an outsider as I was initially staying by the nurses’ station without talking to any staff. Eventually, they grew accustomed to my presence. Having no longer been met with suspicious looks whenever I entered the ward was an indication that I was not anymore a stranger. As both a participant and an observer, I engaged in some of the activities within the ward such as eating the same lunch as the patients, learning the basics of bead crafting that most of them engage in to counter boredom, and assisting in transferring the patients’ belongings. I discovered and learned about the minutiae of the daily lives of patients and watchers. I also became increasingly familiar with the rules—both formal and informal—inside the ward. This demonstrates an advantage of engaging in fieldwork: one can capture both formal and informal rules that exist in the social setting that is being studied. For instance, the formal rule in the oncology ward as written in the ward’s rules and regulations is that only one watcher is allowed to stay with the patient. According to one of the patients I interviewed, one of the reasons why, in practice, more watchers were allowed to stay in the ward is because most of them came from distant provinces. While dull moments constituted much of the fieldwork experience, surprises also appeared occasionally as evidenced by an unforeseen event that took place during one of my visits. The head nurse asked me to stay at the nurses’ station since a DNR (do not resuscitate)—a medical procedure for ending a patient’s life with consent from immediate family members— was being held in Ward A where terminally ill patients are typically admitted. Relatives of the patient
and about five nurses and a doctor were present during the procedure; some patients from other cubicles were trying to observe as well. In conducting fieldwork, I also learned that the oncology ward, as a social setting, affects the experiences and thinking of the patients and watchers. One theme that frequently came up during my interviews is that staying in the oncology ward made the patients and watchers feel like their freedom was being restricted since they had to adhere to certain rules and regulations expected of them by the medical staff. Since the patients and watchers were gathered in a single ward, they often felt sad and hopeless knowing that they were staying in the same place as those people who were suffering the same illness. The study also tackled the perceptions of the patients and watchers on cancer. For me, this was a new and challenging experience since the only in-depth conversations I had about cancer were with my immediate family, especially with my father. This fieldwork allowed me to be more open and be willing enough to listen and learn from other people about their experiences with cancer. Just like my father, most of the patients I talked to accepted the fact that they had a chronic illness while some had undergone a brief phase of self-pity. Some entrust their illness, life, and treatment to their faith in God. There are patients who blame themselves and reexamine their past lifestyles prior to their illness; others even go to the extent of searching for possible remedies. The difficulty in staying inside an oncology ward became evident when some of the participants started to pour their emotions out during interviews. I felt that I was going above and beyond my role as a researcher and became a friend who listened to them empathically as they shared their stories. In these instances, I remained silent for a while, handed them tissues as they
started to cry, and listened to what they had to say. I thought to myself that this kind of sharing must be part of having been afflicted with pain and uncertainty. But having listened to their innermost thoughts—which they usually do not share with others—made me realize that the rapport established between me and the respondents was based on trust and sincerity which I would like to believe had been slowly built during the course of my fieldwork. In addition to the aforementioned experiences and reflections from my fieldwork, I would also like to note that my thesis adviser played a vital role in my research. My experience under her tutelage made me realize that open communication between a student and an adviser is important in ensuring a smooth conduct of any study, especially if it pertains to a sensitive research topic. In my experience, my thesis adviser provided me guidance on the appropriate questions to ask the patients and watchers. On a personal note, I would admit that at first, I was hesitant to conduct the fieldwork inside an oncology ward. I thought that doing so would trigger the negative emotions I felt and associated with my experiences when my father suffered from cancer. Little did I know that as I went about with observations and interviews, the fieldwork itself became therapeutic. By immersing myself in the field and listened to the stories of these patients, it provided me the much-needed nudge to move on.
OPINION
6
SINAG SPECIAL ISSUE SOCIOLOGY FEATURE
SEXUAL HARASSMENT IN THE MUSIC SCENE ADRIENNE ONDAY
2017 might go down in history as the year that modern society’s foundations as we know them were shaken to their very core. Liberal politics crumbles in the wake of populism; human rights are unveiled to be vastly misunderstood as wars worsen and sociopolitical crises rack the planet; but so, too, is patriarchy and its appendages exposed under the broadening enlightenment of a more gender rights-aware society. We saw this in the outing of harassment and sexism in the West, and, due to today’s rapid diffusion of information, we saw it, too, in the Philippines. I opened Pandora’s Box in November when I brought to light the very same issues of harassment and misogyny in the local music industry. This industry exists in a much larger society that boasts of high rates of gender equality in global rankings—nevermind that this is mostly restricted to employment, or that data on disclosures and violence against women are inaccurately
the sordid things that men many refer to as idols and role models have committed—things rumored in vague details and passing comments but never told publicly in detail by victims themselves. There comes a time when sociologists feel more acutely the tension between being scientists and being activists. It is the same debate that has gone on for decades in the discipline—of remaining descriptive or venturing into prescription, of merely watching or getting our hands dirty to try and change things. With the consequences one faces in unearthing issues so many have chosen to look away from or join in while convincing themselves that this is all for fun, I have never felt this tension more than when I publicized the names of the men who have violated women one way or another and the acts of violation they did. Responses of all kinds came in, ranging from shock to anger, affirmation, and disbelief. The replies that held the most potential
“It is this culture of victim-blaming, embedded in the patriarchal values of never holding men accountable for their actions and having their way even when one says no, that forces women to keep quiet.” reported due to fear, shame, and a sense of hopelessness on the part of victims. As such, when I talked about my experience in the music industry as a woman and exposed both the subtle and blatant forms of disrespect and harassment I have witnessed and experienced myself, I was aware of the backlash I could receive. In naming names, I understood that the goal was not to shame or defame the men involved in the acts against women, but to give a narrative of the day-to-day environment the patriarchy thrives in; the big and small ways it manifests into psychological, emotional, and physical violence; and the positions of those who commit these that allow them to practice the violence so nonchalantly, as if it were a daily routine. What began as a tale of my own unraveled into so much more as stories from other women and even men poured in, laying out before me
for learning were those asking, “Why not just file cases against these people? Why do this online and not just talk in private?” To answer this, firstly, the legal system and laws against abuse and harassment in this country have proven more than once that victims are not a priority in this society. Our anti-sexual harassment law is limited to work, education, or training settings, and filing a case can only be done if the offender is of “authority, influence, or moral ascendancy over another”; while acts of lasciviousness contain outdated notions of “lascivious” conduct that either are limited to those below the age of consent or do not even consider the most basic notion of consent. With the legal institution this weak and archaic, how can we expect our women and other victims of harassment to feel encouraged and empowered to report their experiences?
What more is that in the event that a woman does talk about it, she bears the brunt of the blame: “Ano kasing suot mo? Baka malandi ka naman kasi talaga,” as if her clothes or the way she carries herself were grounds and actual justification for the harassment or abuse she went through. It is this culture of victim-blaming, embedded in the patriarchal values of never holding men accountable for their actions and having their way even when one says no, that forces women to keep quiet.
to men; that casts doubt on things women say by calling them “too emotional” while men with fragile egos have authority on everything; will women as it is have the historical and political power to just walk up to a man and say, “You did something wrong. Please apologize and never do it again?” I could even argue that keeping things in the shadows of privacy masks the public nature of the systemic violence against women. If we keep not talking about it, we keep ignoring the root of the problem.
Other than this, can we really expect a victim to confront her abuser? Can a woman confront a man and feel safe? In a society that treats women as second-class citizens in their own homes; that gives more, better opportunities
The local music industry is just one locus of oppression in a country—in a world—that has, for so long, seen women as nothing but objects and tools for service. Even in 2017, as the paint chips away, we cannot overlook the fact that our day-to-day
thoughts, statements, and actions contain subtle manifestations of ways of viewing the world, dictating that there is always someone of lesser value. Sectoral movements and advocates of equal rights are more visible now than ever, and yet if nothing gets talked about on the level of the everyday man, we cannot hope to achieve the change we want. We can identify as feminists all we want, but believing in equal rights for all does not translate to real life in actually giving equal rights for all. There has to be a conversation. There has to be a buzz. There has to be a connection between the theories of the academe and the daily experiences of the people.
The Unstable Permanence of Rape Culture CAI ANTONIO
Rape culture: a phenomenon that has risen, plateaued, fell, risen again, and has taken many turns within the discourse of millennials. In the realm of social media, inklings of rape culture sporadically appear —one minute, there exists several women coming out to narrate their experience with rape; the next minute, everyone is raving about the latest meme; then the minute after, a tweet about how women going shirtless should not be an invitation to harassment goes viral. It seems as though the concept of rape culture has taken a certain position within the discourse of Filipino millennials — a position that eludes an unstable permanence, a position that may not always take the spotlight, but continues to lurk amongst the sea of information, waiting for the perfect time to steal back the attention. What then accounts for the way rape culture has been perpetuated in the discourse of millennials? The ideas of Gaetano Mosca may give an answer to this problem. Mosca states that in every society, there exists an organized minority which governs the disorganized majority. This organized minority is known as the ruling class, and this minority primarily gets it strength from being well organized and because they supply the majority with something that is needed. There are three stages that ruling classes experience: first is
its rise or them being able to provide a service needed by society; second is its institutionalization or the ruling class passing on their beliefs and skills to their offspring; and lastly is its decline or when the service being provided by the ruling class is no longer needed by society. The interconnection provided by social media allowed for the coming together of people from around the globe to voice out concerns related to rape culture. We have seen this throughout the years in Tumblr graphics, Reddit forums, Facebook posts and groups, Twitter threads, and in countless social media sites. Social media provide the platform for the organization of people with similar ideas and beliefs regarding sexual harassment and body politics. The fact that there was so much talk about rape culture gave many rape and sexual harassment victims more confidence to speak out. To name a few, we have seen this in the coming out stories of women on Twitter, and on Facebook posts calling out sexual harassers. In other words, the need for reassurance and safety was provided by the organization that came about from the discussions and posts that problematized rape culture. At its current state, I see that the various people who set the base for discourse on rape culture today are
the millennial version of the ruling class—a ruling class that is exposed to globalization and technology; a ruling class that is made up of people from numerous parts of the globe, all linked together by social media. This is a ruling class whose ideas have been challenged, sometimes forgotten, but are always existing, ready to provide a need that a majority of silenced victims have. Social media is the blood of this ruling class, but in some ways, it is also its poison. Given the rapid exchange of information today, ideas reach prevalence as fast as they decline. This spells out challenges for the ruling class in terms of staying relevant. However, what amazes me the most about this millennial rape culture perpetuated by the ruling class is that despite the instability that comes with social media, they have attained a sense of permanence— they have provided a need that will never completely be met. Why? Because the realities in the world offline continue to strengthen the need for a safe space for victims of rape and sexual harassment—the world offline assures that the decline of this millennial ruling class may never come.
OPINION O N P R I VA C Y SINAG SPECIAL ISSUE SOCIOLOGY FEATURE
RICHARD KAHULUGAN I don’t enjoy being in the spotlight for too long. The thought that hundreds of people are watching over my shoulder constantly judging is an uncomfortable feeling. Privacy is always a precious thing to me and I have always thought of it as an inalienable right to seclude my actions and thoughts: a sort of shroud from the peering eyes of society, not to mention matters of security especially in this day and age. However with the ushering in of the digital age, this shroud slowly wears thin and is little by little becoming commodified, monetized, and sensationalized until it becomes nonexistent. Privacy in the 21st century is under siege and the catapult breaking down its walls is social media. Let me get one thing out of the way – I hate social media. I don’t mean this in the sense that I detest it so much as to refuse using or acknowledging the benefits of sites such as Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. I probably spend more time connected on social media than most people, clocking in the entire day, checking it occasionally even in the middle of gaming or studying, and stopping only to sleep. Lightning-fast communication also means that I can communicate with friends and family on the go. The fact is, I still enjoy it alongside the occasional one-day-of-popularity that comes after a witty tweet or sharp critique in the comments section. But I absolutely despise the form in which social media have—perhaps inevitably in a liberal capitalist society—degenerated. The utter hypocrisy of online anonymity that companies have so fervently packaged and reassured is an illusion at best, and a sham at worst. The defenders of this concept argue that it safeguards individuals behind the screen by concealing their identities from those that mean harm—the worldwide and almost totally liberal nature of the internet ensures that it is a place full of stranger danger after all. However, online anonymity is simply not true; or rather, it is true in all the worst ways possible. In reality, internet anonymity does not exist for a good majority of internet users while at the same time exposing them to all sorts of danger. For one, it is surprisingly easy to pinpoint the geographical locations, IP addresses, and therefore the identities of the average internet user; this is because the process of concealing and masking these precious things consumes effort that most would not bother going through. Furthermore, “true anonymity” (if there is even such a thing) can be and is usually used to harass the vulnerable. From my experience, women get the worst of this in the form of virtual sexual harassment and online catcalling by anonymous perpetrators using burn accounts and fake names.
Besides, engaging in discourse on social media can be dangerous in this day and age. State surveillance of likes, shares, and comments on anything perceived as enemies of the state is facilitated through an army of angry paid trolls on the one side and silent intelligence on the other. I’ve had several friends receive death threats on social media over their anti-drug war and anti-Duterte stances that they made public online. It has become futile and discouraging to start a
ANTONIO CONCEPCION
It has become a rule of our generation to never leave the house without a pair of earphones and a device to play our favorite songs. Music has been useful to us especially in stressful moments. It has eased awkward situations such as eating alone in the school cafeteria or passing by a professor who gave us a singko last semester. Sure, music can’t make these situations disappear but it can change the way we respond to them.
The same is true for activists receiving death threats from masked accounts. Anonymity strips away accountability by detaching the digital from the personal on the side of the perpetrators, and setting up various roadblocks that make it difficult to enforce social acceptance norms on the side of the victim. Some argue that this is the price of speed and efficiency: privacy may be compromised but at least the speed and accessibility of communication and knowledge has grown infinitely. This leads me to my next point: social media has cheapened knowledge and discourse. There is no denying the benefits of this speed but we should not be blind to the damage accompanied with it. Knowledge disseminated in social media through video and infographic is usually a one-way channel—that is, it presents knowledge but is unable to receive feedback. Comment sections can be viewed as a channel to send this feedback but the way it currently works is unfavorable to opposing popular views: the first comments you see are the top comments with the most amount of likes, usually these comments are already the most popular opinions with very little opposition. While those unpopular sentiments are either relegated to the bottom with very little attention or around the middle with a social media lynch mob roasting the commenter, often resorting to ad hominems and sometimes personal threats. Instances in which the presented information is unanimously rejected, the uploader of the content can resort to outright censorship by disabling feedback as I have seen so many times (although not all; some creators engage with their audiences and even concede when proven wrong). In a similar vein, the ease in jumping into conversations without understanding the entire context of an argument and pulling out once discussions start to get heated discourages constructive resolution and reconciliation. Because of this, social media is a pluralist paradise where ideas can be kept floating and tolerance is key.
Music for the “Gods”
conversation with many profiles on social media (Facebook in particular) because one cannot know for sure which one is a troll dummy meant to agitate or an actual person who could be willing to engage in meaningful discussion; making the wrong guess can get you tagged for harassment as many people already have. The weaponization of the anonymity and interconnectedness of the web has hurt the integrity of social media as a valid arena for discourse of any kind. But it would be wrong to pin all the blame on the “technological boogeyman” as social media did not make these problems on its own. Humans did. Society did. Social media is a tool in the same way a hammer is a tool; and like a hammer which can both create and destroy, social media can be both destructive and constructive. There is no stopping this siege. The very nature of social media as we know it today is not conducive to privacy. But there is changing the direction of our society after its walls have been broken down. Social media is the catapult but that is beyond the point. It’s a red herring that distracts us from looking at what really matters: the field commanders of the siege giving the orders. Right now it’s a broken capitalist system and a dysfunctional national government but it could be so much more. The worn out walls of privacy is crumbling down and the boundaries are almost gone. But that’s okay. It’s not the first time in history for concepts to disappear only to reappear worse than ever before. After late antiquity, democracy was gone for almost half a century, but its resurgence after the Middle Ages has transformed it from a patriarchal pseudo-participative political system to a more inclusive (but still flawed) form of government. Privacy might be the next one to go this way. So let me get one thing out of the way: I hate social media.
7
The anxiety generated from the rising death count from Duterte’s war on drugs or the daily mishaps his political allies run into, can be alleviated with the right kind of music. A three-minute song, preferably loud, repetitive, and easy to listen to, usually does the trick. Music then is like a drug that can be used for all situations and can have all sorts of effects on the body. Then there are times when music does more than just make us feel better—this happens only by chance. Think of that one moment when you were mindlessly switching through radio stations or shuffling through the Philippine Top 50 playlist in Spotify. You hear a familiar voice singing “Mundo,” then “Hayaan Mo Sila” comes up. It was already past midnight and you needed background music while studying for tomorrow’s exam when all of a sudden, a familiar song finds its way to your ears and hearing it somehow feels different this time. Perhaps you only really paid attention to it now. The first few notes of the intro gets your attention like a burning sip of tea, but you lean in anyway to hear more of it. You start getting into the song, almost forgetting about that reviewer you’ve been staring at for hours now. The verse comes up and it just transports you to a happy place where the colors shift with the change in chords. The pre-chorus is next to entice to you even more and only the main melody can resolve all this tension. The song reaches its climax; the chorus reveals the answer to your questions. Just as you were finding yourself renewed, the song abruptly ends, leaving you overwhelmed and wanting for more. The feeling wasn’t some chaotic surge of emotions nor an amalgam of conflicting emotions, but rather the opposite. Some internal truth rang clear. The song definitely struck a chord, and you’ve only noticed its existence through that song, as if it told you something about yourself. Philosophers have thought that Arthur Schopenhauer was exaggerating when he famously declared that among all the arts, only music could communicate the true nature of things. Perhaps, in our case, this statement has some truth in it. Music can resonate with something deep within us, an internal and personal truth. It affirms and intensifies our emotions rather than turning us away from them.
The Greeks, in my opinion, had the cognition to illuminate such experiences. They believed that music must be what the heavens sounded like. This came from their observation of the form in music and the movement of celestial bodies or the stars and planets, both exhibiting mathematical and structural qualities. This only accounts for music that is structural such as classical music. However, there is music that is endearingly absent in this quality. Take for example the compositions of Ornette Coleman, which are devoid of any definite structure and harmony, and instead capitalizes on emotion and expression. The Blues musicians exemplify this quality whose only concern is to release their emotions in response to slavery and racism. They did not care about the rules; they only wanted to express their yearning for freedom. It was Friedrich Nietzsche who praised this aspect of music, which he found in Greek plays, and called it Dionysian, after the Greek god of wine and festivity. It was through this type of music that one could lose himself as in a state-like frenzy, an experience one could attain with heroin as Miles Davis and Jimi Hendrix took while playing music during live performances. Thisorgastic experience is not a resignation from life—it is the realization of the god within us which enables one to confront life and all its terror and meaninglessness, at least as Nietzsche believed. Admittedly, this is a lot to demand from the average listener. In actual practice, it is rare to find opportunities to meaningfully engage with art. Theodor Adorno, who was critical of the music industry, pinned the blame on the working conditions produced by capitalism: the dullness of work or school and its exhaustive requirements prompt us to seek easily digestible entertainment. We want to be re-animated back to life through music but only if it requires minimal effort and attention to appreciate. The music industry has just the formula to ensure that its listeners are content and happy despite moments of anxiety and struggle they face daily. The demand for easy music is perpetuated as the cultural industry standardizes a single, universal formula. Instead of empowering its listeners, music has made them into passive consumers. Unless there is a demand for a kind of music that challenges us and is truly reflective of our experiences, then music will continue to turn us away from what is directly in front of us. But when reimagined, music can be our anthem that awakens “the god within,” so we may charge at life with unrelenting force.
LITERARY ALUMNI
Of My Being Alive
CORNER
KAJ PALANCA
Sometimes I forget to turn off the bathroom lights before I leave. More than once the key to my room has been left overnight inserted into the knob,
JA M I E V E E B AU T I S TA Vice-Chair of CSSP Student Council AY 2017-2018 Sociology Department Representative 2016-2017
creating a danger uncalled for and realized only after an entire night’s sleep, too late. Inside the theater, earlier today, my mom leaned in to tell me about
CURRENT OCCUPATION
how I was born, that for far too long after my delivery I did not, could not,
Project Assistant
Public Management Development Program Development Academy of the Philippines
make a single noise. Everyone in the room was in panic: and outside, thunder. There is a danger uncalled for, I thought then, sitting two spaces away from my mother. I have been made alive by this gap, a distance. / Everything
are some things that our majors Q What should experience before graduating?
depends on these four walls. I wake up already in fear, already conscious of the noise and what comes after. I choose to lie in the darkness for a while, and then I stand up, open the door, see fear, close it again. I lie down and shake in the cold. When memories are recollected, they do not ever form anything coherent. But it is only through this recollection that they are made
Before you graduate, make sure that you’ve at least joined a mob or demonstration. Political colors aside, I think I have had the perfect complement of my sociological theories and methods classes in joining such.
whole again. Understanding this I put my feet up, close my eyes, think: the world is unfair and nothing means, open them again. / I now recognize that it was far too fleeting, far too slight, to be anything more. Catching my steps, seeing that there is now nothing left of whatever that was, I smile. Light filters through the window and I rest where it rests. I am content and alive,
AT H E N A P R E S TO
and this should be enough. Had there not been panic, I would not have been
Summa Cum Laude Graduate BA Sociology, UP Diliman
here. I would not have been made to tell of my being absent, despite this.
CURRENT OCCUPATION Instructor
Sociology Department UP Diliman
Q
Sandro Marcos, Reptile
LAKAN UMALI
What tips would you recommend to your younger self?
Do not be afraid to take your “I” over your “me.” “I” is your creative, unpredictable self while your “me” is your conformist, normative self. Remember that you can only make a difference to the world when your “I” is on the premium, and when you become othered because of your uniqueness, be still. Be still and stand your ground.
Spermatozoa of dynastic beasts, you slither Across the Atlantic, rattling serpent-tongue Vowels of vomeronasal Tagalog. A shiny Specimen classified, edgewise, in animal trees of Plesiosaurs and autocrats, the cells shedding Dead skin and activists every year, feudal keratin. What use are deltoids and thumbs? Give yourself The limbless body, remnants of the Mesozoic
FAY E M A M AWAG Sociology Department Representative 2014-2015
CURRENT OCCUPATION
Social Science and Research Teacher OB Montessori Center
Age, when brethren wailed through metamorphic seas. Effortless locomotion. Side-winding the high grass And subpoenas, no traumas here, elastic jaw Swallowing prey without hurt, how rubbery The creature immaculate, born of the Father’s Hemipenis, the splintered organ inseminating Idol after idol until you hatched, perfect the nest Without stain, Valac-blessed, anointed with holy Pesos and sceptre, the glowing archipelago You call your bounty. Oil the path. Spice and milk The virile poisons. The snakelet is coming home.
are some things that our majors should Q What experience before graduating?
To breath sociology without hesitation; be part of something significant which could develop sociology in the Filipino context; and lastly, do not limit yourself with the fear of the unknown, always strive to be part of something, which could also benefit sociology as a discipline and a “way of life.”
Q&A