Faculty members led by Department of Sociology Coordinator Prof. Clarence Batan, Ph.D., and students from the Department of Sociology of the Faculty of Arts and Letters participated in the international conference of the Philippine Sociological Society (PSS) held recently.
Its theme was “The Sociology of Vulnerabilities and Resistance: New and Emerging Challenges on Live, Communities, and Places.” Batan, together with Celda L. Palma, presented their research titled “Vulnerability and Resilience of Filipino Catechists in the Context of Catechetical Formation Programs.” Assoc. Prof. Maria Carinnes P. Alejandria, Ph.D., whose work focused on social and public health, guided Sociology students Ninna Sandra F. Fernandez, Erin Ceejay A. Sandoval, Denise C. Tumaneng, Cathleen Justine D. Ruiz, and Kay Anne S. Dela Cruz so they could present their research on various issues concerning the youth and their well-being and efforts of non-government organizations present in the Department’s partner communities.
These students are in their senior year. Romulus Vincent M. Cuizon, also a student in his senior year, presented a paper together with Asst. Prof. Milrose P. Llenas. Their paper focused on the sociological inquiry on the narratives of students’ resilience in e-service learning. Students under the Sociology program of the University are highly encouraged to present their undergraduate thesis in the conference organized by the PSS with the goal of strengthening and legitimizing the research identity of the UST Sociology program.
The PSS is a nonprofit and SEC-registered organization that aims to represent, promote, and advance its members’ intellectual and sociological interests and would encourage and disseminate the study and discussion of sociology alongside other related disciplines, through various activities and platforms in fulfilling its mission. To ensure a diverse set of topics to be presented, PSS identified 16 themes that were further divided into 13 parallel sessions. As an international event, it was open to sociologists and social scientists from around the world.
There were more than 400 participants both local and international who attended four plenary sessions and more that 200 paper presentations. This gave students and professionals of different ages and races to present their research and think pieces to a wide variety of audiences. The UST Department of Sociology has been a very active partner of the Philippine Sociological Society in many of its activities and endeavors. Batan, the Department’s current Coordinator is a former president of PSS, while Asst. Prof. Louie Benedict R. Ignacio, another faculty from the Department is the current president of the Philippine Sociological Society.
