ANN ARBOR—The University of Michigan will offer a credited lecture series touching on culture, language, history, economics, Christianity and dance as related to the Philippines, Filipinos, and Filipino-Americans. Six guest speakers will combine with seven U-M faculty to present their views of the Philippines.

Community members
U-M Profs. Emeriti Gayl Ness and Peter Gossling will oversee the Philippines Seminar.

U-M lecturers will review geography of Southeast Asia, Southeast Asian colonial-independence processes, Filipino language and linguistics, and Philippine Colonialism and post-Colonialism.

Guest lecturers and their topics are: Aram Yengoyan, from the University of California, “Nationalism, Culture and Language in the Continental Philippines”; Fennella Cannell, London School of Economics, “Christianity in the Philippines”; Vincente Rafael, University of California, “Colonial and Post Colonial History”; Basilio Esteban Villaruz, University of the Philippines, “Dance as Discourse.” Villaruz, a choreographer, also has been asked to help coordinate a performance at the University during the last part of the Philippine Seminar. It will use local dancers and synthesize Philippine/Asian and Western styles of dance and music.

The Philippines Seminar is sponsored by the U-M Department of Asian Languages and Cultures, in partnership with several other groups—the Philippine Study Group (PSG), University of Philippines Alumni Association of Michigan, and other U-M programs and units, including the South and Southeast Asian Studies and the International Institute.

For more information about how to participate in Philippine Studies Initiatives, visit the PSG Web site or contact PSG at [email protected]; http://philippinestudygroup.iwarp.com

The Philippine Study Group is a network of students, scholars, faculty, staff and community members whose purpose is to provide venues and opportunities for research and intellectual interchange related to the Philippines.

Gayl NessFennella CannellDepartment of Asian Languages and Cultures[email protected]