PolSci Dept launches inaugural lecture for International Relations Seminar Series

Written by Randy Adriane Martin 
Proofread by Jessa Mae Lebumfacil

To provide mentorship opportunities to students and spotlight local and international scholars actively engaged in the field of politics, Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology’s (MSU-IIT) Department of Political Science kicked off the inaugural episode of their International Relations Seminar Series (IRSS) with a webinar titled, “Everyday Life and Politics: From Personal to Global,” featuring resource speaker and sociologist, Athena Charanne “Ash” Presto on Tuesday, September 10.

In collaboration with the Research Dissemination Office and with the assistance of 2nd-year BA Political Science students, the IRSS was spearheaded by Dr. Primitivo III “Prime” Ragandang, a faculty member of MSU-IIT’s Department of Political Science.

“This initiative […] was designed to support undergraduate students in appreciating the disciplines of Political Science and International Relations,” Dr. Ragandang emphasized. 

He added that the IRSS aspires to build a broader academic community in Mindanao by inviting students from various educational institutions all over the country to join the series.

Presto, a senior lecturer at the University of the Philippines Diliman’s (UPD) Department of Sociology and a lecturer at Ateneo de Manila University’s (ADMU) Political Science Department, is a social justice advocate and esteemed figure in the field of gender and social policy research. 

In her talk, she highlighted key examples based on her own research and policy work on gender and governance, illustrating how these issues intersect with broader political dynamics. 

Presto stressed that politics extends beyond material resources like money; it also encompasses emotions, decision-making, and visibility, arguing that political issues are not confined to the government but also manifest in everyday life, such as conflicts in student group projects.

Her discussion highlighted that global and local factors often disproportionately impact marginalized groups, particularly women in rural areas, pointing to economic challenges, environmental impacts, health issues, increased human rights abuses, and erratic public educational funding.

At the end of her discussion, Presto called for individuals to always be intersectional, to collect appropriate data, to implement community awareness programs, and to engage in political activity and strategic partnerships to enhance advocacy efforts.

This inaugural episode of IRSS revolved around how political connotations pervade our everyday lives and the roles we must play to engage with issues in both local and global realms. 

Students from across various institutions tuned into the discussion, including MSU- Main Campus (Marawi), West Visayas State University-Main Campus (Iloilo City), MSU-Maguindanao, Caraga State University, Bukidnon State University, La Salle University - Ozamiz, UP Diliman, UP Visayas, Mariano Marcos State University, Central Mindanao University, Saint Columban College, and Dr. Yanga’s College Inc.