Wherever I am, the world comes after me. It offers me its busyness. It does not believe that I do not want it. Now I understand why the old poets of China went so far and high into the mountains, then crept into the pale mist. "The Old Poets of China" by Mary Oliver
CALL FOR ABSTRACTS | 2025 Graduate Student Conference: "The Philippines in a Multipolar World"
CALL FOR ABSTRACTS | 2025 Graduate Student Conference: "The Philippines in a Multipolar World"
Details
The UP Asian Center is now accepting abstract submissions for the 2025 AC Graduate Student Conference, “The Philippines in a Multipolar World.” The deadline for submission is on 21 April 2025, Monday, 5:00 PM (Manila Time). The conference is open only to the students currently enrolled at the UP Asian Center and TriCollege Ph.D. Philippine Studies Program.
ABOUT THE CONFERENCE THEME
Current narratives in international affairs predominantly emphasize strategic competition, geopolitical rivalry, and the new Cold War between the US and China. The China-US trade war during the first Trump administration and the COVID-19 pandemic catalyzed the emergence of concepts such as decoupling, de-risking, and supply chain resilience, driven by over-dependence on these two largest economies in the world. This situation highlighted the urgency for states to exercise greater agency and diversify their economic relationships and partnerships. For example, the EU and ASEAN—comprised of middle and small powers—have collectively strengthened their engagement with one another to hedge against uncertainties. In addition, the increasing use of economic sanctions and leverage is compelling nations to reduce their vulnerabilities and reliance on others. It is not surprising that the BRICS economic bloc has accelerated its expansion to include more non-Western countries. With a notable resurgence in protectionist and neo-mercantilist practices, along with an intensifying technological race (i.e., AI, robotics, electric vehicles, and autonomous cars) driven by geopolitics, how will the Philippines navigate these fluid changes in power structures and global realignments?
THEMES
1. Society and Culture 2. Health and Social Security 3. Sustainable Development 4. Climate, Disaster, Crisis, and Conflict 5. Media and Communications 6. Arts and Literature 7. Migration and Diaspora 8. History and Heritage 9. Technology and Innovation 10. Politics and International Relations
ELIGIBILITY
• Must be currently enrolled in the UP Asian Center or the Ph.D. TriCollege Philippine Studies Program.
SUBMISSION GUIDELINES
• The abstract submission must be written in English or Filipino, not exceeding 200 words. It should outline the scope, objectives, methods, and findings of the paper. • Submissions must be solo-authored and unpublished. • The format must be single-spaced, on an A4 document size. The font must be Times New Roman, 12 pt. • Submissions must use the latest APA reference style. • Participants must indicate if they will join the paper presentation or the poster presentation. • The deadline for submission is on 21 April 2025, Monday, 5:00 PM (PH Time). Results will be released on 5 May 2024 through email. Additional guidelines will be sent to qualified proposals.
POWERPOINT AND POSTER PRESENTATIONS FOR SHORTLISTED ABSTRACTS
• All finalists will be required to do an oral presentation during the conference on 31 May 2025.
For inquiries, please contact us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 891-8500 loc. 3586.
The Asian Center, University of the Philippines Diliman offers M.A. degrees in Asian Studies with four fields of specialization: Northeast Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, and West Asia. The UP Asian Center also has an M.A. program in Philippine Studies that allows students to major in Philippine society and culture, Philippine foreign relations, or Philippine development studies. It also offers a Ph.D. program in Philippine Studies in conjunction with the College of Arts and Letters and the College of Social Sciences and Philosophy. For an overview of these graduate programs, click here. As an area studies institution, the Asian Center also publishes Asian Studies: Journal of Critical Perspectives on Asia, the latest issue of which can be downloaded at the journal's website.
