Ateneo de Manila University Political Science Department

12/06/2026

BLUEBOARD | Challenging everyday ‘unfreedoms’

By Beatriz Beato

"But therein lies the rub: when something disappears into everyday routines, we’re less likely to problematize it. We have become so used to the cacophony of rising prices and hardship and worse, yet the instinct seems to be to point fingers towards each other and not upwards towards the leadership and structures that maintain these unequal relationships. It is ironic how we look upwards towards issues of good governance and corruption yet assert that these systemic problems are because of choices made by people on the ground. That is the kind of “unfreedom” we need to challenge — that the issues we face are the faults alone of the choices we make — instead of deeper systemic unfreedoms. Indeed, the call should be towards good governance, but located within the context of everyday experiences of the absence of choice and free from moral judgment of the poor."

Blueboard is the column for contributions written by faculty members of the Department of Political Science, Dr. Rosita G. Leong School of Social Sciences, Ateneo de Manila University.

This June 12 marks the celebration of the Philippines’ 128th Independence Day. The Philippines has often been criticized as being nominally independent and free — in that while we are free from the formal governance of colonial powers, it remains questionable whether we are truly “free.” Und...

12/06/2026

BLUEBOARD | Sabotaging our public spheres and citizens

By Hansley A. Juliano

"The attacks on liberal arts education and the persistence of bad-faith content peddlers are emblematic of a problem practically every 21st century society, regardless of their level of development or their level of sociopolitical freedom, is dealing with today: the continued erosion of our public spheres. By public spheres, I refer to the common space for citizens to properly engage, debate, and facilitate democratic discourse and national community-building. There is a direct line between reducing the ability of a country’s population to think for itself, and not genuinely addressing rampant disinformation that is actively trying to impose on how people should think and interpret the realities they live in."

Blueboard is the column for contributions written by faculty members of the Department of Political Science, Dr. Rosita G. Leong School of Social Sciences, Ateneo de Manila University.

I write this piece, similar to some of my previous columns, in the aftermath of International Labor Day (May 1) and World Press Freedom Day (May 3). Serendipitously, the news cycle for the first week of May this year was occupied by two public concerns directly posing challenges to the rights and hi...

27/05/2026

Our warmest congratulations to our Program Awardees from the Class of 2026 of the Ateneo de Manila University!

Yani Cristina Y Lazaro
Cum Laude
AB Diplomacy and International Relations with specialization in East and Southeast Asian Studies

and

Angel Rose J Sarmiento
Summa Cum Laude
AB Political Science

19/05/2026

BLUEBOARD | The good fight against political dynasties

By Dr. Maria Elissa J. Lao

"The glaring difference with the stand of anti-dynasty advocates is the consanguinity and affinity clause for both versions of the bill, with bills limiting it to the 2nd degree of consanguinity and affinity. Anti-dynasty advocates strongly recommend banning relatives up to the 4th degree of consanguinity and affinity to ensure that no excessive consolidation of power by one family takes place."

Blueboard is the column for contributions written by faculty members of the Department of Political Science, Dr. Rosita G. Leong School of Social Sciences, Ateneo de Manila University.

The 20th Congress of the Philippines currently has within its sights the potential structural change to turn the political tide. The current debates on the Anti-Dynasty Bill (simultaneously taking place in both upper and lower houses) have ventilated a healthy round of discourse both in legislative....

19/05/2026

BLUEBOARD | When restraint is tested: ASEAN, China, and the future of the code of conduct

By Dr. Alma Maria O Salvador

"My take is to adopt a pragmatic approach and argue for pushing for the code as an indispensable mechanism for managing crises that, as analysts have warned, could push certain countries, including the Philippines, to the brink of war in the South China Sea."

Read Dr. Salvador's article on the Blueboard column in BusinessWorld: https://www.bworldonline.com/opinion/2026/02/10/729365/when-restraint-is-tested-asean-china-and-the-future-of-the-code-of-conduct/

Blueboard is the column for contributions written by faculty members of the Department of Political Science, Dr. Rosita G. Leong School of Social Sciences, Ateneo de Manila University.

Under the Philippines’ ASEAN Chairship, ASEAN leaders are meeting again to finalize a code of conduct (CoC) for the South China Sea (SCS). In 2002, ASEAN and China issued the Declaration on the Code of Parties (DoC) in the South China Sea, which aimed to underscore the importance of aligning membe...

13/05/2026

Check out the official posters of the 24 entries for CinePulitika 2026!

11/05/2026

The Political Science Department & POLSC 21 students of Ateneo de Manila University proudly present:

CinePulitika ‘26 — Pag-asa(m) Para Sa Bayan: Kanino at Saan Nagsisimula?

Families & friends of our POLSC 21 (Philippine Politics and Governance) students this semester are encouraged to watch this 2-day film festival:
- 🗓️ Date: 14-15 May 2026
- ⏰ Time: 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
- 📍 Location: Leong Hall Auditorium

Sign up through the registration form below ⬇️
🔗: https://forms.gle/khQcwDW8SNDvvicG9

NOTE: POLSC 21 students are not required to sign-up!

Registration is open until 12 May 2026. See you there!

09/05/2026

We just hosted an open house for prospective students of our AB Political Science and AB Diplomacy and International Relations programs!

The faculty, staff, and current students of the Department of Political Science warmly welcomed potential freshmen and their parents and guardians to the Ateneo de Manila. The event provided an overview on the department, key features of our undergraduate curricula, international student mobility programs, and student organizations.

To our incoming freshmen, see you in the next school year! We look forward to being part of your journey as Ateneans.

03/05/2026

Last 20-23 April 2026, Dr. Ronald Pernia of the Ateneo de Manila Department of Political Science had the privilege of participating in a series of talks and discussions with students, faculty, and experts at the Institute of Sociology of National Tsing Hua University, the Institute of International Relations of National Chengchi University, and the Taiwan Foundation for Democracy. Dr. Pernia was deeply grateful for the invitation and warm welcome from the hosts and for the opportunity to engage in thoughtful exchanges on politics, democracy, regional issues, and Taiwan–Philippines relations.

30/04/2026

The Ateneo de Manila University Department of Political Science participated in the 2026 International Conference of the Philippine Political Science Association held on 28-30 April 2026 at Silliman University, Dumaguete City.

This year's conference gathered local and international scholars to engage in interesting discussions on the theme, "Democracy: Navigating the Tensions of Unity and Division." Our faculty members presented their papers for various panel sessions including topics on film and politics, maritime security, gender, civil society, corruption, political dynasties, and democracy.