Some suggestions of making the International Studies curriculum at the undergraduate level in Philippine colleges and universities relevant and forward-looking to address societal issues and demands of 2024 and beyond.

Excerpt from “The development of Philippine IS/IR” written by PHISO trustees.

In terms of potentials in theorizing and moving beyond dominant approaches in IR, the question remains: how can IS/IR in the Philippines recognize multiple canons based on an ecology of knowledges? 

How can we give birth to a reimagined IS/IR discipline that engages “with and represents the past, present, and futures of peoples (and perspectives) that have thus far been marginalized and deprioritized in the discipline (Sen, 2023, p. 341).”

Decolonizing IS/IR does not mean rejecting Western knowledge, theory or research, but should be understood as an intellectual process anchored on different aspects in different contexts such as centering our worldviews to create theories and research based on local perspectives and for self-determined purposes (Capan, 2017). On the other hand, Sen (2023, p. 339) advances a structure rather than a process of decolonial IS/IR that upends “colonial epistemological roots, rethinks core concepts and underlines the need to forefront geographies, peoples, and perspectives that were underrepresented in a colonial discipline.”

This decolonial structure may involve the creation and building of institutions, norms, and scholarly disciples to replace colonial structures and mitigate the effects of a colonized IS/IR, but also presents numerous challenges as current institutional frameworks are characterized by various forms of dependency on the global core (Aydinli & Erpul 2022). Taking this into account, Aydinli and Erpul (2022) suggest a range of strategies such as interdisciplinary team-teaching, the promotion of local journals through an interdependent network of institutions and encouraging homegrown theorizing in classrooms. 

Sharma (2021, p. 25) further provides a framework for such initiatives by promoting the usage of Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS), a confluence and combination of modern science and local knowledge and experiences. In the Philippines, this would involve critically analyzing concepts, paradigms, and frameworks such as nation-state, sovereignty, or ‘international’ in order to “offer important insights on the capitalist, exploitative, racialized, and gendered” (Sen, 2023) worldmaking, undo core-periphery hierarchies, and espouse a pluriversal and pluralistic global order.

This could practically involve: (a) placing history and genealogy at the forefront of interrogating contemporary societal issues, trends, and contexts, (b) validating voices, stories, and literatures of marginal people who hold equal capacity to understand the modern world, and (c) teaching IS/IR critically open to multiple canons and not revering a single canon over another (Krishna, 2012).

Practical suggestions in reforming IS/IR curriculum

Knowledge-making and its usefulness to contribute to the “good life” must reflect the development of our own Philippine knowledge canons in continuous dialogue with global north knowledge canons shaped by Western modernity. International Studies—a multi/inter-disciplinary methodical approach of mixed and borrowed ideas from humanities, philosophy, and social/natural sciences—has the capability to bring forth or foster this dialogue and link relations between and among global north-south and global south-south worlds, thus, honing individual’s culture of multi-perspectivist thinking and doing. To propel a canonical dialogue of Philippine-West understandings/learnings with emphasis on Filipino and Asian references, the IS curriculum may incorporate three sections on (1) Global North-South relations, (2) Global South-South relations, and (3) the Global Filipino.

Some case-focus’ course titles that may be included in the “Global Filipino” section are:

1. Philippine foreign relations, policies, and analyses
2. Labor migration: OFWs issues, challenges, and developments
3. Filipino science diplomacy, DFA, and consular practices
4. Philippine constitution, policymaking, and public service
5. Climate change, disaster risk management, and environmental resiliency
6. Global gender justice and gender analysis for development
7. International Health: Philippine healthcare and the COVID-19 pandemic
8. Conflict transformation, peace process, and peace building
9. International agricultural and aquacultural research development
10. Global fourth industrial revolution, social media, and AI technology
11. International trade, tourism market, and fiscal investments
12. National security on West Philippine Sea and Sabah disputes
13. Global fashion and Filipino arts of 3Bs: boxing, basketball, and beauty pageantry

Additional units for ‘skills enhancement’ section of the IS curriculum, may include:

01. Instead of the usual conventional 5-chapter thesis, the student may craft a “capstone project” to suggest solution(s) to a real-world problem or challenge, with the goal of demonstrating mastery of the subject area and applying the knowledge and skills they learned from an IS degree program.

02. The student may also opt to write a “policy research paper” with an aim to reach a multi-perspectivist global Filipino imbued by canonical dialogue of Philippine-West understandings, as well as address societal issues through policy planning and implementation.

03. “Professional IS skills enhancement modular training program” focusing on networking skills, technical know-how of lobbying, public speaking, effective CV/resume writing, impactful job interview, internship, convincing research grant proposal writing, publication strategies, vlogging or podcast techniques, proficiency in making video essays, interpersonal skills development, amplify other talent skills, among others.

References:

Aydinli, E., & Erpul, O. (2022). The false promise of global IR: exposing the paradox of dependent development. International Theory, 14(3), 419–459.

Capan, Z. G. (2017). “Decolonising International Relations?,” Third World Quarterly, 38(1), 1-15.

Krishna, S. (2012). “Decolonizing International Relations,” e-IR, https://www.e-ir.info/2012/10/08/decolonizing-international-relations/ accessed on Sep. 1, 2024.

Sen, S. (2023). “Decolonising to reimagine International Relations: An introduction,” Review of International Studies, 49(3), pp. 339-345.

Sharma, A. (2021). “Decolonizing International Relations: Confronting Erasures through Indigenous Knowledge Systems,” International Studies, 58(1), 25-40.