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Social Media and the Renegotiation of Filipino Diasporic Identities

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Social Media and the Renegotiation of Filipino Diasporic Identities Social Media and the Renegotiation of Filipino Diasporic Identities by Almond Pilar Nable Aguila A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in COMMUNICATIONS & TECHNOLOGY Department of Secondary Education and Faculty of Extension University of Alberta ©Almond Pilar Nable Aguila, 2014 i Abstract Diasporic identities may involve shifting forms of socio-economic class, status, culture, ethnicity and the like depending on one’s relationship with others (Lan, 2003; Pe- Pua, 2003; Seki, 2012). Social networking sites (SNSs) may offer transnationals to do more than just keep in touch with loved ones. Unlike other technologies (landline/mobile phones, email, instant messaging, voice-over IP service, etc.), the SNS design may also reveal ambivalent facets of their identities previously segregated through one-on-one or one-to-few modes of communication. In SNS contexts, unexpected paradoxes, such as being labelled an ethnic migrant in the host country while simultaneously being stereotyped as a prosperous immigrant in the home country, may become more evident. Previous studies conclude that SNS facilitate the demonstration of diasporic identities (Bouvier, 2012; Christensen, 2012; Komito, 2011; Oiarzabal, 2012). These platforms may allow diasporics to constantly and continuously renegotiate who they are to certain people. This research investigates how Filipino diasporics may simultaneously perform their cultural identities on Facebook to loved ones in the home country, new friends in the host country and members of their diasporic community around the world. Profile photos, status updates, photo uploads and video sharing may allow them to challenge Filipino stereotypes. By combining Filipino indigenous methods and virtual ethnography, I acknowledge my unique position as a Filipino migrant. Such means occupying an in- between space—as both an insider and an outsider (saling pusa). While my research methods may seem aligned with virtual ethnography, pakikipagkapwa (development of trust through relationship-building) is my mother method. Interviews and focus group ii discussions are more like casual conversations than formal data gathering techniques. I treat participants as equals in our shared experience of renegotiating who we are as Filipino diasporics. This is rooted in the Filipino core value of “kapwa” which views identity as a fusion of self and others. Thus, I investigate how my participants and I renegotiate our cultural identities with Filipino and non-Filipino contacts on Facebook. Subtle renegotiations seemed to emerge through online pakikipagkapwa. These result in new forms of Filipino diasporic identities that may seem more visible on Facebook than in our material encounters. Such renegotiations may involve identity formation through deliberate association with and/or distancing from people in the way we enact kapwa as part of who we are as diasporic Filipinos through social networking. iii Preface This thesis is an original work by Almond Pilar Nable Aguila. The research projects, of which this thesis is a part, received research ethics approval from the University of Alberta Research Ethics Board, Project Name “Diasporic Identity Formation through Social Media,” No. Pro00019729, December 22, 2011, and Project Name “Renegotiating Diasporic Identity Through Social Media,” No. Pro00032971, August 21, 2012. iv Dedication To my parents, who made me a saling pusa when they sent me to school before I was two. My mom taught me to love books from the time I could read. She crossed over to the Great Divide before I completed my MA thesis. My dad gave me the drive to finish whatever I started and to be devoted to learning. He crossed over to the Great Divide as I was writing this dissertation. I recognized the above episodes as profound ironies in my life as a scholar. While I have been seeking to understand ways technology may mediate our distanced relationships, I have persistently been reminded that not all distanced relationships may be enacted through communications technology. v Acknowledgement My sincere gratitude to: The Department of Secondary Education and the Communications & Technology Graduate Program for allowing me to flourish in the betweenness of my research interests. My special thanks to Margolee Horn, Eileen Crookes and Anita Theroux who helped me throughout various points in my program. The Kule Institute for Advanced Study for honoring me with the 2013 KIAS Dissertation Award. I truly felt your support and compassion. My Filipino diasporic participants for opening their material and Facebook lives to me and my research. Maraming salamat sa inyong lahat sa pagkupkop ninyo sa akin bilang kapwa. My supervisors Marco and Cathy for treating me as their kapwa. Marco, you consistently pushed me beyond my human limits. By being intermittently tough and gentle, you motivated me through my exhaustion and grief. Cathy, thank you for mentoring me and being my ally. You taught me how to mindfully and critically love technology. I am becoming a different teacher and scholar because of you. To all the members of my defense committee. Dr. Sean Gouglas (also a member of my supervisory committee), for your expert contributions from candidacy to defense. Your constant reminders about the significance of history and technology grounded my research. Dr. Florence Glanfield (as chair), Dr. George Buck and Dr. George Richardson for appreciating our diasporic stories and being interested enough to read this lengthy document. Dr. S. Lily Mendoza (external examiner) para sa mga mga naisulat mo ukol sa iyong pakikipaglaban bilang katutubong mananaliksik. Sa aking pag-iisa, naramdaman kong ikaw ay aking kapwa. Dr. Rogelia Pe-Pua, ang taus puso ko pong pasasalamat para sa lahat ng naitulong ninyo sa akin. Hindi ko po alam kung paano ko susuklian ang lahat ng kabaitang ipinamalas ninyo bilang isang kapwa mananaliksik. Sa inyo ako humugot ng lakas para ipaglaban ang paggamit ng mga metodong angkop sa sa kulturang Pilipino. All my professors who generously and patiently showed me ways to discover my own wisdom: Dr. Terry Carson, thank you for encouraging me to question myself as an educator. There are no words to express the mind-blowing realizations I had in your class. Dr. Max van Manen, thank you for projecting my paper on the big screen and cutting it up into painful bits in our phenomenology class. Yes, the 10 months under your tutelage were, as you once described, “torture.” But it was also during that time that I experienced my greatest growth as a writer. I am deeply honored to say I was your student. vi Dr. Rob Shields, for challenging me to read French philosophers and for inspiring me to appreciate the virtualities of space and place. Often, you made my brain hurt. Dr. Dwayne Donald for reminding me to “take a walk” when you thought I was diving too deeply into my work. You helped me find a way to defend my indigenous approach to ethnography and to write a convincing candidacy paper. Dr. David G. Smith for your generosity of mind and spirit. I will always remember the intense way you would actively think silently before you spoke. You have shown me that an esteemed scholar can be kind and humble. Dr. Elaine Simmt for showing me a different way to understand my work. With one gesture, you revealed to me the complexity of my research plan. You forced me to acknowledge what I kept resisting. My friends who shared this journey with me: Michelle Kilborn, Zahra Kasamali, Vernie Caparas, Justine Nabaggala, Mildred Masimira, Daylin Breen, Larry Kwok, Iris Yin and Hardeep Gill. Damian for pushing me to finish my dissertation by letting me go twice—once to write the dissertation on a Philippine island and the second to defend it in Canada. Thank you for making me laugh and giving me a life beyond this PhD. vii Table of Contents CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................. 1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY ..................................................................................... 6 Filipino diaspora. ................................................................................................ 13 History of Filipino (diasporic) identities. .............................................................. 19 Diaspora and Filipino identities. .......................................................................... 26 Filipino diasporic identities and popular media. ................................................... 36 Facebook and Filipino diasporic identities. .......................................................... 38 STATEMENT OF MY RESEARCH PROBLEM .................................................................. 49 MAPPING THE DISSERTATION .................................................................................... 51 CHAPTER 2: VIEWING FILIPINO DIASPORIC IDENTITIES THROUGH KAPWA .... 55 A FILIPINO DISCOMFORT WITH ETHNOGRAPHY ......................................................... 56 MY INDIGENOUS RESEARCH PARADIGM .................................................................... 60 ‘KAPWA’ AS ROOT OF FILIPINO IDENTITIES ................................................................ 63 THE THEORETICAL FOUNDATIONS OF KAPWA ............................................................ 73 APPLYING KAPWA AS THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK/ONTOLOGICAL POSITION .............. 85 CHAPTER 3: INVESTIGATING VIRTUAL ENDOGRAPHY ........................................... 91 TAKING AN ENDOGENOUS APPROACH
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