[SpringerBriefs in Political Science] Ethnic Boundary-Making at the Margins of Conflict in The Philippines (Everyday Identity Politics in Mindanao) ||

This book makes a significant interdisciplinary contribution to existing scholarship on ethnicity, conflict, nation-making, colonial history and religious minorities in the Philippines, which has been confronted with innumerable issues relating to their ethnic and religious minority populations. Using Sarangani Bay as a research site, the book zones in on the lives of the Muslim Sinamas and the Christianized indigenous B'laans as they navigate the effects of the ongoing turmoil in the Bangsamoro region in Muslim Mindanao―a multi-faceted conflict involving numerous armed groups, as well as clans, criminal gangs and political elites. This work considers the factors affecting the Muslim Moro people, who have long been struggling for their right to self-determination. The conflict in the Moro areas has evolved over the past five decades from an ethnonationalist struggle between an aggrieved minority and a thorny issue for the central government: a highly fragmented conflict with multiple overlapping causes of violence. The book provides a framework for understanding the ethnic separatism in the case of the southern part of the country, framed by the concept of ethnic boundaries. Providing an excellent blend of theory and empirical evidence, the author confronts how ethno-religious divisions adversely impact the quality of life and unpacks how these divisions challenge multiculturalist policies. Weaving together multiple branches of the social sciences, this book is of interest to policymakers, researchers and students interested in international relations and political science, Asian studies, ethnic studies, Philippines’ history, sociology and anthropology. Preface Contents Abbreviations List of Figures List of Tables 1 Introduction: Ethnic Boundary-Making 1.1 Conceptualizing Ethnicity 1.2 Ethnicity in the Conflict in Mindanao, Southern Philippines 1.3 Sarangani Bay as a Research Site and Its Position in the Mindanao Conflict 1.4 Overview of the Research Sites 1.5 Barangay Tino’to, Maasim, Sarangani Province 1.6 Sitio Lanton, Apopong, General Santos City 1.7 Tino’to and Lanton as Settler Zones 1.8 Research Objectives 1.9 Organization of the Chapters References 2 Theoretical and Conceptual Considerations 2.1 Etymology of the Concept Ethnicity 2.2 Primordialist Versus Instrumentalist Explanations on Ethnicity 2.3 Constructivist Approaches in Ethnicity 2.4 Basic Strategies of Ethnic Boundary-Making 2.5 Institutions, Powers and Alliances References 3 The Making of Ethnic Boundaries in the Philippines: A Historical Overview 3.1 Who Is the Filipino? Ethnic Boundary-Making in the Philippines 3.2 Pre-colonial Philippines: Sovereign and Subjects as Boundary-Markers 3.3 Philippines Under Spain: Boundary-Markers as Españoles Peninsulares, Filipinos, Indios, Infieles and Moros 3.4 Philippines Under the United States of America: An Experimentation of Boundary-Making 3.5 Boundary-Making at the Margins of Power: The Making of the Moro and the Lumads in Mindanao References 4 Categorizing Ethnicity in Sarangani Bay 4.1 Locality of Origin and Language as Bases for Ethnic Categorization 4.2 Who Are the B’laans? 4.3 Who Are the Sinamas? 4.4 Language as Basis of Ethnicity Categorization 4.5 Vehicular Language Switching Between Bisaya and Tagalog 4.6 Clan Conflicts References 5 Distribution of Power 5.1 Repositioning Strategy of Boundary-Making of the B’laans 5.2 Economic Access 5.3 Political Access 5.4 Symbolic Access 5.5 ‘The Authentic Christians’ 5.6 Blurring Strategy of Boundary-Making of the Maranaos 5.7 Economic Access 5.8 Political Access 5.9 Symbolic Access 5.10 The Normative Inversion Strategy of Ethnic Boundary-Making of the Sinamas 5.11 Economic Access 5.12 Political Access 5.13 Symbolic Access 5.14 Conclusion References 6 Vernacular Voices and Locally Situated Agents 6.1 Vernacular Voices 6.2 ‘What Should Be the Primary Policy Priorities for Mindanao?’ 6.3 Administrative Governance in Muslim Mindanao 6.4 ‘Don’t Teach Us How to Fish, Allow Us to Fish’ 6.5 Natives, Pioneers and Settlers: Who Has Claims to the Land? 6.6 Locally Situated Agents and Institutions 6.7 Historical Projects: Local but from Above 6.8 Aid Agencies: External Fund, Local Spending 6.9 Local Networks: Krislam Parents Cooperatives, MNLF Recruitment, Clans 6.10 The Peace Process 6.11 Roots of Resistance 6.12 Actors on the Peace Process: Presidents, the Government Peace Panel, Two Moro Fronts and the International Community 6.13 Mindanao Political Economy 6.13.1 Three Mindanao Kingdoms in Maritime Southeast Asia 6.14 Economic and Human Development Indicators 6.15 Development Aid in Mindanao 6.16 Conclusion References Index