FACULTY MEMBERS of the UST Department of Philosophy have established a reading circle to give Philosophy students space to examine colonial influences on philosophical thought.
Titled “Reading Otherwise: A Decolonial Reading Circle,” the four-session initiative began on Oct. 2 with a discussion of Nelson Maldonado-Torres’ essay “On the Coloniality of Being.”
Led by faculty members Zhea Katrina Estrada and Kriedge Chlaire Alba, the circle is supported by the Department of Philosophy and the Faculty of Arts and Letters. The reading circle revolved around how colonial rule persists in Filipino’s knowledge and habits so much that it became “normalized” in the country.
This persistence manifests in Filipino values, the language spoken and the philosophers students look up to, according to Estrada. She pointed out that students tend to admire Aristotle or Plato, rather than Filipino thinkers.
For Estrada, examining these influences does not necessarily mean erasing every trace of colonial history, but recognizes how the past shapes the present and fosters greater awareness of the choices people make moving forward.
“We wanted to create an environment where students can speak freely… And this is a first since there are also no subjects in the department that discuss decolonial philosophy as a topic,” Estrada told The Flame.
Before each session, participants read an assigned text and discuss it in a conversation guided by the convenors. The reading circle has no grades or assessment tasks and is open to Philosophy students.
Philosophy freshman Esther Jade Macariola said joining the reading session gave her a clearer view of what philosophy as a field entails.
“Honestly, I did not have any prior knowledge about the topic. But what I liked about it is that it expanded what I know about things and what Philosophy is supposed to be,” she said.
For Philosophy freshman Jhulliane Canzem Belen, discussing decolonial philosophy matters because it is embedded in Filipino identity.
“Colonization will and always will be part of our core identity, so we really need to analyze it on a deeper level,” Belen said.
Building on the first reading, subsequent sessions of the activity will discuss the afterlife of colonialism, decolonial feminism and the practice of decolonial philosophy in the Philippine context.
Estrada and Alba plan to expand the circle’s participation to other departments of the Faculty of Arts and Letters and outside the University.
The next session is tentatively scheduled for November online, while the last two sessions are planned for January and March next year. F
