CALL FOR PAPERS
7th Politics and Culture Conference
Mindanao Philosophy: Indigeneity, Decoloniality, and the Paradox of Democracy
November 20, 2026 | Online Conference
Hosted by the Social Ethics Society and North Valley College
The Social Ethics Society and North Valley College invite philosophers, scholars, researchers, educators, practitioners, and students to participate in the 7th Politics and Culture Conference, an interdisciplinary academic gathering dedicated to examining the philosophical, cultural, political, and social dimensions of Mindanao Philosophy.
This year’s conference takes as its theme:
“Mindanao Philosophy: Indigeneity, Decoloniality, and the Paradox of Democracy”
Mindanao is a complex intellectual and cultural space shaped by diverse Indigenous traditions, Muslim and Christian communities, colonial histories, struggles for recognition, and contemporary transformations. The conference seeks to explore how philosophy emerges from these experiences and how Mindanao can contribute to broader conversations on indigeneity, decolonial thought, identity, justice, culture, politics, and human flourishing.
The theme invites critical reflection on the possibilities and limits of defining a distinctly Mindanao Philosophy. What does it mean to philosophize from Mindanao? How can Indigenous knowledge and local intellectual traditions challenge dominant philosophical frameworks? What are the tensions between universal philosophical claims and culturally situated forms of knowledge? And what paradoxes emerge when Mindanao is understood simultaneously as a site of marginalization, resistance, plurality, and intellectual creativity?
Suggested Areas of Inquiry
We welcome papers addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:
- Mindanao Philosophy and Indigenous Knowledge Systems
- Indigeneity, Identity, and Cultural Memory
- Decolonial Philosophy and Decoloniality in Mindanao
- Indigenous Epistemologies and Ways of Knowing
- Bangsamoro Philosophy and Islamic Thought
- Lumad/Indigenous Philosophical Traditions
- Mindanao, Colonialism, and Postcoloniality - Philosophy, Culture, and Local Knowledge
- Political Philosophy and the Mindanao Experience
- Justice, Peace, and Conflict in Mindanao
- Democracy, Governance, and Self-Determination
- Philosophy of Culture and Cultural Pluralism
- Ethics and Indigenous Moral Traditions
- Religion, Spirituality, and Philosophy in Mindanao
- Language, Narrative, and Indigenous Philosophical Expression
- Gender, Society, and Marginalized Voices
- Environmental Philosophy and Indigenous Ecologies
- Philippine Democracy and Radical Politics
- Development, Modernity, and the Mindanao Question
- Philosophy of Education and Indigenous Education
- Technology, Artificial Intelligence, and Indigenous Communities
- Globalization and the Transformation of Mindanao Cultures
- The Paradoxes of Identity, Difference, and Belonging
- Contemporary Filipino and Mindanao Philosophers Confirmed Speakers
The conference is honored to feature the following distinguished scholars and speakers:
- Ms. Aanchal Seth (Panjab University, India)
- Dr. Layne Hartsell (Chulalongkorn University)
- Atty. Jamil Matalam (USEP College of Law)
- Dr. Christopher Ryan Maboloc (AdDU)
- Dr. Bernard Caslib Jr. (UP Manila)
- Dr. Rogelio Bayod (North Valley College)
- Dr. Godiva Eviota-Rivera (MSU–Marawi)
- Dr. Juichiro Tanabe (Waseda University)
Conference Chair:
Dr. Rogelio Bayod
Call for Papers
We invite researchers, faculty members, graduate students, independent scholars, and other interested participants to submit original papers relevant to the conference theme.
Submissions may present original philosophical arguments, conceptual analyses, empirical or interdisciplinary research, critical reflections, or studies of Indigenous and local intellectual traditions.
Submission Requirements
Please submit an abstract of approximately 250 words containing:
1. Title of the proposed paper
2. Author/s and institutional affiliation
3. Email address
4. Abstract
5. Keywords (3-5)
Selected presenters will be invited to present their papers during the online conference on November 20, 2026.
Important Date
Submission Deadline: October 31, 2026
Email your abstract to: roger.bayod@gmail.com
Authors of accepted abstracts will be notified after the review process.
No registration fee is required.