This seminar is an opportunity to reflect on four decades of changes and continuities in Philippine politics through the intellectual contributions of Professor Paul Hutchcroft.<
Philippine Politics is undoubtedly a very exciting and dynamic area of research and activism. From its anti-colonial histories and People Power revolutions to the contemporary challenges posed by urbanization, pandemic recovery, and the persistence of political dynasties, the Philippines continually provide insights for interrogating the complex nature of power and local resistance. What are enduring lessons from four decades of sustained investigation of Philippine politics? What are new as well as ‘tried-and-tested’ approaches for understanding Philippine political dynamics today and for the next forty years?
In recognition of Professor Paul Hutchcroft's Emeritus appointment, the seminar will bring together the wider Philippine Studies community at the ANU, in Canberra and abroad to celebrate both his legacy and the renewed importance of Philippine Studies for Australia.
On behalf of the Philippine Australian Association and the ANU Philippines Institute, the co-hosts of this seminar, we hope to see you all there.
Agenda
-
5:00 – 6:00 pm: Reception
-
6:00 – 6:15 pm: Opening remarks and introduction
-
6:15 – 7:15 pm: Panel discussion
-
7:15 – 7:30 pm: Closing remarks
Speakers
Dr Emy Liwag is the Convenor of the ACT-based Philippine Studies Group since 2012. A cognitive-developmental psychologist, she works in the areas of children’s emotional disorders, adolescent and adult career development, and successful ageing. Emy received her PhD in Psychology from the University of Chicago in 1995 after which she returned to the Philippines to teach at the Ateneo de Manila University. She also founded the Ateneo Wellness Center, a pioneering effort to put psychological research and clinical theories into university-based professional practice. She is the author of Gender Socialization in the Philippines and four other books and is a multi-awarded researcher and passionate lecturer. She has been with the ANU since 2011, at the Department of Psychology and now the Research School of Management.
The Philippine Studies Group (PSG) has been around for decades and is an informal, community-based group of Filipino academics, professionals, students, and Canberra residents who gather regularly for seminars on various aspects of Philippine culture, politics, economics, and ways of life. As a volunteer organisation, initial meetings were held at residents’ homes with potluck dinners and invited speakers from the ANU and visiting scholars from the Philippines and elsewhere. In 2024, the Philippine-Australian Association took the PSG under its wing, and the PAA-PSG seminars are now co-hosted by the ANU Philippines Institute.
Professor Ronald "Ronnie" Holmes is an academic affiliated with the Department of Political Science and Development Studies at De La Salle University. He is also the president of the independent research organization, Pulse Asia Research Inc. Ronnie completed his doctorate with the Department of Political and Social Change in 2019.
Dr Prajak Kongkirati is an Associate Professor at the Faculty of Political Science, Thammasat University. He has previously served as Associate Dean for Research and Academic Services, Head of the Government Department, and Chair of the Southeast Asian Studies Center at the East Asian Institute, Thammasat University. In 2025–2026, he is a Visiting Fellow at Osaka Metropolitan University and the Center for Southeast Asian Studies, Kyoto University. He also sits on the Editorial Board of New Mandala, Australian National University.
Dr Maria Tanyag is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of International Relations of the Australian National University, and an Australian Research Council DECRA Fellow.
Chair
Mary Joyce Bulao is a PhD candidate in the Department of Political and Social Change. She studies urban political machines in the Philippines alongside broader interests in elections and distributive politics. Prior to coming to ANU, she was faculty member and chairperson of the Social Sciences Department of the Ateneo de Naga University.
If you require accessibility accommodations or a visitor Personal Emergency Evacuation plan please contact the event organiser.