The Rafa in me
When I logged on to ESPN this morning to check who won Wimbledon this year, I couldn't help but give a loud whoop when I saw a huge photo of Rafa hositing the most glorious trophy in tennis. Good thing I was the first person inside DLSU's Communication Dep't. Otherwise, they might've thought that their Atenean professor was loony (or was cheering because ADMU trounced them in last Sunday's basketball game. In that case, I'd get fired! Animo forever...or something like that. Haha!). Really though, the reason for my ecstasy was that finally, the longstanding world no. 2 trounced the longstanding world no. 1 in grass. The Federer Express derailed...in his own kingdom to boot! And to me, it's always inspirational when the underdog wins. Perhaps this is because, in my academic life, I've always been only second best as well.
In high school, I was mostly no. 2 in class. And I graduated with a silver medal. In university, I was no. 2 in the Dep't. And I graduated magna cum laude. In my present life as a scholar, I still find myself dealing with the no. 2 many times. But like Rafa, I feel that one day, my 2nd chance (well, technically, third in his case...but you get the drift) to hoist my very own trophy will come. And for now, I'm pinning all my hopes on this PhD dissertation proposal:
Capturing Manila: National identity and the photographic representations of Manila by its local and transnational migrant residents
It has been argued that the representations of places within a nation-may they be postcards, magazine spreads, or promotional videos-can foster “strong cognitive, habitual, sensual, and affective senses of national identity" (Edensor, 2002). These become especially significant in the case of depictions of cities that have multicultural, migrant populations. In such a setting, the images that are included and excluded in urban portrayals give rise to issues of “cultural visibility, social segregation, and diasporic exclusion” (Georgiou, 2006).
To be sure, there has been a significant amount of research done to examine the relationship between representations of the city and constructions of national identity. Most of these though have focused on the images that circulate in the various mass media (e.g., Avraham, 2000; Sadler, 2005; Stanek, 2004). Although these studies are important, there is also a tremendous need to emphasize the usually media-marginalized, even media-absent, views of migrant residents (de Block & Buckingham, 2007). Acknowledging these other perspectives are very important, especially in the context of developing nations. In countries such as those in Southeast Asia, depictions of the city tend to be loci where issues of globalization, national integration, and localization are played against one another in an intensified manner (Evers & Korff, 2000). Certainly, the migrants’ perceptions of the city should be part of these great debates, as their experiences can be very different-and in many instances more difficult-than the locals (Bandhauer, 2008).
It is in light of the above that this study seeks to examine how ideas about Filipino national identity are embedded in the photographic representations of Manila by its local and transnational migrant residents. This study will use a bottom-up approach that will shift the focus from media discourses towards the perspectives of those migrants who actually inhabit the city (Castells, 1983). Quite importantly, it will attempt to use photography as a key ethnographic tool. In this age where media consumers/users are given more and more platforms to speak (Silverstone, 2006), it is important to give the marginalized migrants a chance to participate as well. And indeed, taking pictures seems to be one of the more fruitful ways to do this, as proven by the plethora of projects that have used it to provide a voice to those who are not usually heard (e.g., de Block & Buckingham, 2002; Ewald, 1996; Miller, 2006).
Some of the questions that this study shall explore will be: (a) What places in Manila will the participants photograph? (b) What ideas about the nation will be manifested in the participants’ photographs? (c) How will the participants talk about their photographs in relation to the issue of national identity? (c) How will the participants’ migration experiences influence their photographs and their talk about these? In order to address these, this study closely examines the lives of fourteen participants: seven local migrant residents of Manila (i.e., those from provinces within the Philippines) and seven transnational migrant residents of Manila (e.g., Indian entrepreneurs, Vietnamese refugees, Japanese retirees). Each of them will be asked to take photographs that they think best represent Manila. Then, they will be asked to select ten of these that they will upload online to share with others. This step is crucial because, as has been argued, articulations of national identity become pronounced whenever these are done in relation to a perceived other (Madianou, 2005) and against their desires and fears regarding us (Edensor, 2002). To be sure, the other as audience, however ambivalent, becomes a concern when one goes online (Van Dijk, 2004). In order to make sense of how the participants’ ideas of the nation are embedded in their selected photographs, social semiotics will be applied to the pictures. And in order to situate these in the participants’ experiences, the everyday life approach will be employed, focusing on the participants’ migrant contexts and their talk about their experiences.
KEY WORDS: national identity, representation of the city, migration, photography as voice, social semiotics, everyday life.
Sonia, Myria, and Nikos, give me a chance to bring out the Rafa in me. Everyone else who is my friend, wish me luck! :) Vamos!
In high school, I was mostly no. 2 in class. And I graduated with a silver medal. In university, I was no. 2 in the Dep't. And I graduated magna cum laude. In my present life as a scholar, I still find myself dealing with the no. 2 many times. But like Rafa, I feel that one day, my 2nd chance (well, technically, third in his case...but you get the drift) to hoist my very own trophy will come. And for now, I'm pinning all my hopes on this PhD dissertation proposal:
Capturing Manila: National identity and the photographic representations of Manila by its local and transnational migrant residents
It has been argued that the representations of places within a nation-may they be postcards, magazine spreads, or promotional videos-can foster “strong cognitive, habitual, sensual, and affective senses of national identity" (Edensor, 2002). These become especially significant in the case of depictions of cities that have multicultural, migrant populations. In such a setting, the images that are included and excluded in urban portrayals give rise to issues of “cultural visibility, social segregation, and diasporic exclusion” (Georgiou, 2006).
To be sure, there has been a significant amount of research done to examine the relationship between representations of the city and constructions of national identity. Most of these though have focused on the images that circulate in the various mass media (e.g., Avraham, 2000; Sadler, 2005; Stanek, 2004). Although these studies are important, there is also a tremendous need to emphasize the usually media-marginalized, even media-absent, views of migrant residents (de Block & Buckingham, 2007). Acknowledging these other perspectives are very important, especially in the context of developing nations. In countries such as those in Southeast Asia, depictions of the city tend to be loci where issues of globalization, national integration, and localization are played against one another in an intensified manner (Evers & Korff, 2000). Certainly, the migrants’ perceptions of the city should be part of these great debates, as their experiences can be very different-and in many instances more difficult-than the locals (Bandhauer, 2008).
It is in light of the above that this study seeks to examine how ideas about Filipino national identity are embedded in the photographic representations of Manila by its local and transnational migrant residents. This study will use a bottom-up approach that will shift the focus from media discourses towards the perspectives of those migrants who actually inhabit the city (Castells, 1983). Quite importantly, it will attempt to use photography as a key ethnographic tool. In this age where media consumers/users are given more and more platforms to speak (Silverstone, 2006), it is important to give the marginalized migrants a chance to participate as well. And indeed, taking pictures seems to be one of the more fruitful ways to do this, as proven by the plethora of projects that have used it to provide a voice to those who are not usually heard (e.g., de Block & Buckingham, 2002; Ewald, 1996; Miller, 2006).
Some of the questions that this study shall explore will be: (a) What places in Manila will the participants photograph? (b) What ideas about the nation will be manifested in the participants’ photographs? (c) How will the participants talk about their photographs in relation to the issue of national identity? (c) How will the participants’ migration experiences influence their photographs and their talk about these? In order to address these, this study closely examines the lives of fourteen participants: seven local migrant residents of Manila (i.e., those from provinces within the Philippines) and seven transnational migrant residents of Manila (e.g., Indian entrepreneurs, Vietnamese refugees, Japanese retirees). Each of them will be asked to take photographs that they think best represent Manila. Then, they will be asked to select ten of these that they will upload online to share with others. This step is crucial because, as has been argued, articulations of national identity become pronounced whenever these are done in relation to a perceived other (Madianou, 2005) and against their desires and fears regarding us (Edensor, 2002). To be sure, the other as audience, however ambivalent, becomes a concern when one goes online (Van Dijk, 2004). In order to make sense of how the participants’ ideas of the nation are embedded in their selected photographs, social semiotics will be applied to the pictures. And in order to situate these in the participants’ experiences, the everyday life approach will be employed, focusing on the participants’ migrant contexts and their talk about their experiences.
KEY WORDS: national identity, representation of the city, migration, photography as voice, social semiotics, everyday life.
Sonia, Myria, and Nikos, give me a chance to bring out the Rafa in me. Everyone else who is my friend, wish me luck! :) Vamos!