This book, edited by Priscelina Patajo-Legasto, brings together 35 essays by scholars from the Philippines and the U.S., shedding light on the dynamic world of Philippine Studies. It critiques lingering universalist paradigms, representing a shift from outdated Orientalist and racist discourses that marked the St. Louis World’s Fair of 1904—an event showcasing American imperial power. It also celebrates our rich traditional and emergent cultural practices, and explores new perspectives on old texts and contemporary popular forms.  

The essays delve into Philippine cultural practices, including oral literature, rituals, historical documents, literature, grafiction, visual arts, komiks, theater, performance arts, language, cinema, and digital technologies. Covering time frames from pre-colonial eras to today, these essays reveal that many cultural practices once considered emergent were actually marginalized by both colonial and Philippine hegemonic cultures, necessitating a postcolonial critique for their proper understanding.

The collection is divided into two parts. The first set explores the practices of diverse Filipinos within the islands, considering factors such as class, ethnicity, religion, politics, gender, and sexual orientation. The second set addresses the challenges faced by Filipinos in the diaspora, including issues like anti-miscegenation laws and prevalent prejudices found in American media and official documents.

Dr. Priscelina Patajo-Legasto is a writer, critic, and a professor at the Department of English and Comparative Literature at UP Diliman.

Publisher:
University of the Philippines Press, Philippines

Publication Date:
2008

Format:
Softcover / 10 x 7 inches / 775 pages / BW

Language:
English, Filipino

ISBN: 978-971-542-591-9