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Father Frank Lynch and the Shaping of Philippine Social Science

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 April 2010

Glenn Anthony May
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Extract

Although the United States granted the Philippines formal independence in 1946, American influence in the former colony did not disappear overnight. In the decades following independence, American policymakers continued to play key roles in Philippine politics; American businessmen, presidents, legislators, and bureaucrats and US-based international money lending agencies continued to have a considerable impact on the Philippine economy; and American popular culture continued to penetrate Philippine society and culture (as it did elsewhere). But perhaps no sector of Philippine society was as profoundly influenced by Americans as the academic one, and no subdivision of the Philippine academy bore the American imprint as visibly as Philippine social science. This paper examines the academic career, writings, institution-building efforts, and scholarly agenda of the US-born scholar who arguably had the greatest impact on post-war Philip- pine social science: Father Frank Lynch, a Jesuit professor of anthropology and sociology at Ateneo de Manila University.

Type
The American Experience in Asia
Information
Itinerario , Volume 22 , Issue 3 , November 1998 , pp. 99 - 121
Copyright
Copyright © Research Institute for History, Leiden University 1998

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References

Notes

1 The quotation can be found in Perla Q. Makil, ‘Ala-Ala of Frank S. Lynch SJ’ in: Makil, Aram A. Yengoyan and Perla Q. eds, Philippine Society and the Individual: Selected Essays of Frank Lynch, 1949-1976 (Ann Arbor 1984) 9Google Scholar; and SJ, James F. Donelan, ‘A Good Man for the Journey’, PSSC Social Science Information (10 - 12 1978) 21–24Google Scholar.

2 Biographical information on Lynch comes from Makil, ‘Ala-Ala’, 1-10 and Donelan, ‘Good Man’, 21-24.

3 Informed guesses about Lynch's decision to become an anthropologist are based on an e-mail communication from Mary Racelis, 13 October 1998. See also Lynch, Francis X., A Typological Study of the Neolithic Stone Implements of the Bizal-Bulakan Region of Luzon (MA thesis, University of the Philippines 1949)Google Scholar.

4 Frank S. Lynch SJ, 'An Mga Asuwang: A Bicol Belief, reprinted in Yengoyan and Makil eds, Philippine Society, 175–196.Note that in rendering the tide in the text, as well as in rendering quotations from the article, I have used the contemporary spelling of the place studied by Lynch - Bikol (rather than Bicol).

5 Lynch, , ‘Asuwang’, 187.Google Scholar

6 On Redfield: Jr, George W. Stocking, The Ethnographer's Magic and Other Essays in the History of Anthropology (Madison 1992) 301–307;Google ScholarHonigman, John J., The Development of Anthropo-logical Ideas (Homewood 1976) 348.Google Scholar On Eggan, see Winters, the brief biography in Christopher ed., International Dictionary of Anthropologists (New York 1991) 174–175;Google Scholar and Eggan, Fred, Social Organization of the Western Pueblos (Chicago 1950)Google Scholar.

7 For information on the Human Relations Area Files, see the article on the organisation in Ember, David Levinson and Melvin eds, Encyclopedia of Cultural Anthropology II (New York 1996) 597–598.Google Scholar On the publication itself, see University of Chicago, Philippine Studies Program, Area Handbook of the Philippines (Chicago 1956)Google Scholar.

8 On Warner, see Winters, the short biography in ed., International Dictionary, 739–740Google Scholar.

9 Warner, W. Lloyd ed., Social Class in America: A Manual of Procedure for the Measurement of Social Status (New York 1960).Google Scholar

10 SJ, Frank Lynch, Social Class in a Bikol Town (Chicago 1959) 3.Google Scholar

11 Ibid., 5, 56–80.

12 Ibid., 86.

13 Ibid., 133.

14 Ibid., 115–125.

15 ‘History of the Ateneo’, Ateneo de Manila webpage (www.ateneo.net); Carson, Ardiur L., Higher Education in the Philippines (Washington DC 1961) 33, 133, 240Google Scholar.

16 E-mail communication from Mary Racelis, 13 October 1998.Google Scholar

17 Ibid.

18 Makil, ‘Ala-Ala’, 4-5; e-mail communications from Mary Racelis, 13 October 1998, and Wilfredo Arce, 12 October 1998.

19 Makil, ‘Ala-Ala’, 5-8; e-mail communications from Mary Racelis, 13 October 1998; Wilfredo Arce, 12 October 1998; and Gerald Rixhon, 8 October 1998. On the number of research projects undertaken up to 1980, see Miralao, Virginia A, Women and Men in Development: Findings from a Pilot Study (Quezon City1980) iiGoogle Scholar.

20 For examples of comparatively smaller projects, see the lists of staff members in: Bello, Walden F., Frank, Lynch and Makil, Perla Q., ‘Brain Drain in the Philippines in: Bello, Walden F. and Guzman, Alfonso de eds, Modernization: Its Impact in the Philippines IV (Quezon City 1967) 146Google Scholar; and Makil, Frank Lynch and Perla Q., ‘The BRAC 1967 Family Survey’ in: Scott, Peter G. Gowing and William Henry eds, Acculturation in the Philippines: Essays on Changing Societies (Quezon City 1971) 221.Google Scholar For bigger projects, see the lists of the project staff members in: Lynch, Aurora Silayan-Go and Frank, IPC/POPCOM 1971 Mass Media Study: Final Report (Quezon City 1971) Appendix AGoogle Scholar; and Porio, Emma, Lynch, Frank, and Hollnsteiner, Mary, The Filipino Family, Community, and Nation (Quezon City 1978)Google Scholar.

21 Makil, ‘Ala-Ala, 5-8; e-mail communications from Mary Racelis, 13 October 1998, and Wilfredo Arce, 12 October 1998; telephone interview with David Szanton, 9 September 1998.

22 E-mail communications from Mary Racelis, 13 October 1998, and Stuart Schlegel, 5 October 1998.

23 E-mail communication from Stuart Schlegel, 5 October 1998.

24 The quotation comes from a description of the IPC found at the beginning of many of its publications. See, for example, Bello, Walden F. and Guzman, Alfonso de II eds, Modernization: Its Impact on the Philippines III (Quezon City 1968) ivGoogle Scholar.

25 In his e-mail communication of 12 October 1998, Wilfredo Arce provided a detailed account of the funding sources of IPC projects in Lynch's days as director as well as a lengthy discussion of the criticism levelled at Lynch and the IPC.

26 The Lynch statement is excerpted in PSSC Social Science Information (October - December 1978) 17.

27 E-mail communication from Mary Hollnsteiner, 13 October 1998.

28 E-mail communication from Gerald Rixhon, 5 October 1998.

29 E-mail communication from Mary Racelis, 13 October 1998.

30 Lynch, Frank, ‘Beyond the Minimum Wage: Sugarlandia in the Seventies’ in: Makil and Yengoyan, Philippine Society, 281–298.Google Scholar

31 Makil, Lynch and, ‘BRAC 1967 Filipino Family Survey’, 206–221;Google Scholar Silayan-Go and Lynch, IPC/POPCOM.

32 Lynch, Frank, Let My People Lead: Rationale and Outline of a People-Centered Assistance Program for the Bicol Basin (Quezon City 1976)Google Scholar; Porio, , Lynch, , and Hollnsteiner, , Filipino Family,Google ScholarLynch, Romana Pahilanga-de los Reyes and Frank, ‘Reluctant Rebels: Leasehold Converts in Nueva Ecija’, Philippine Sociological Review 20 (01 - 04 1972) 7–78;Google ScholarLynch, Frank, ‘On Leaving Bad Enough Alone’, PSSC Social Science Information (10-12 1978) 6–7Google Scholar.

33 For a revealing view of the era, see Jr, Benjamin Pimentel, Edjop: The Unusual Journey of Edgar Jopson (Quezon City 1989)Google Scholar.

34 Lynch, Frank, ‘Social Acceptance Reconsidered’ in: man, Frank Lynch and Alfonso de Guz- II eds, Four Readings on Philippine Values (Quezon City 1973, 4th rev. ed.) 1–3.Google Scholar

35 Ibid., 3.

36 David Szanton (telephone interview, 9 September 1998) was informative about the required readings for field exams in anthropology at the University of Chicago in Lynch's day. On the scholarship concerning values, see Ball-Rokeach, Sandra J. and Loges, William E., ‘Value Theory and Research’ in: Borgatta, Edgar F. and Borgatta, Marie L. eds, Encyclopedia of Sociology IV (New York 1992) 2222–2228.Google Scholar See also Bois, Cora Du, ‘The Dominant Value Profile of American Culture’, American Anthropologist 57 (12 1955) 1232–1239;CrossRefGoogle ScholarKluckhohn, Clyde ed., Culture and Behavior: The Collected Essays of Clyde Kluckhohn (New York 1962)Google Scholar; and Kluckhohn, Clyde, ‘Values and Value-Orientations in the Theory of Action: An Exploration in Definition and Classification’ in: Shils, Talcott Parsons and Edward A. eds, Toward a General Theory of Action (Cambridge Mass. 1951) 388–433.Google Scholar (The quotation comes from page 395 of the last reference.)

37 Lynch, , ‘Social Acceptance Reconsidered’ in: Guzman, Lynch and de eds, Four Readings (4th rev. ed.) 3Google Scholar; Philippine Studies Program, Area Handbook 1, 430–436Google Scholar.

38 Lynch, , ‘Social Acceptance Reconsidered’ in: Guzman, Lynch and de eds, Four Readings (4th rev. ed.) 1–2.Google Scholar

39 For the initial version (the text of which is largely preserved in the revisions) see Lynch, Frank, ‘Philippine Values II: Social Acceptance’, Philippine Studies 10 (January 1962) 82–99.Google Scholar For the first revision, see Lynch, , ‘Social Acceptance Reconsidered’ in: Guzman, Frank Lynch and Alfonso de II eds, Four Readings on Philippine Values (Quezon City 1970, 3d rev. ed.) 1–63.Google Scholar And for the second, see Lynch, , ‘Social Acceptance Reconsidered’ in: Guzman, Lynch and de eds, Four Readings (4th rev. ed.) 1–68Google Scholar.

40 Lynch, , ‘Philippine Values’, 84–85;Google Scholar see also Williams-Jr, Robin M., American Society: A Sociological Interpretation (New York 1960)409–410Google Scholar.

41 Lynch, , ‘Philippine Values’, 86–87.Google Scholar

42 Ibid., 88-89.

43 Ibid., 89-96.

44 Ibid., 96-99.

45 Lynch, , ‘Social Acceptance Reconsidered’ in: Lynch, and Guzman, de eds, Four Readings (4th rev. ed.) 2.Google Scholar

46 Hollnsteiner, Mary R., ‘Reciprocity in the Lowland Philippines’, Philippine Studies 9 (06 1961) 387–413.Google Scholar

47 E-mail communication from Stuart A. Schlegel, 5 October 1998.

48 On these institutional developments, see Lockard, Craig A., The Rise and Changing Status of the Southeast Asian History Field in the United States: An Analytical Study (Madison 1989) 6–27;Google Scholar and Hirschman, Charles, ‘The State of Southeast Asian Studies in American Universities’ in: Hirschman, Charles, Keyes, Charles F., and Hutterer, Karl eds, Southeast Asian Studies in the Balance: Reflections from America (Ann Arbor 1992) 41–58Google Scholar.

49 E-mail communication from Stuart A. Schlegel, 5 October 1998.

50 Friend, Theodore, Between Two Empires: The Ordeal of the Philippines, 1929-1946 (New Haven 1965)'24–25.Google Scholar

51 Steinberg, David Joel, Philippine Collaboration in World War II (Ann Arbor 1967) 4–6, 8, 14-15, 65, 109-111, 142, 150, 174.Google Scholar

52 Lynch summarised some of this literature (e.g., studies by Ethel Nurge, Walter Coward, and Henry Lewis) in ‘Social Acceptance Reconsidered’ in: Guzman, Lynch and de eds, Four Readings (4th rev. ed.) 19–58.Google Scholar

53 Ibid., 1-2.

54 See Lynch, Frank and Hollnsteiner, Mary R., Understanding the Philippines and America: A Study of Cultural Themes (Quezon City 1966)Google Scholar; and Lynch, and Hollnsteiner, , Understanding the Philippines: A Study of Cultural Values (Quezon City 1967).Google Scholar The quotations in the paragraph come from pages iv and vi of the second volume.

55 Lynch, Frank ed., Four Readings on Philippine Values (Quezon City 1962).Google Scholar

56 On the number of printings, see , Lynch and de, Guzman eds, Four Readings (1981 printing, 4th rev. ed.) iv and xiGoogle Scholar.

57 Lynch, , ‘Social Acceptance Reconsidered’ in: Lynch and de Guzman eds, Four Readings (4th rev. ed.) 19–68.Google Scholar My discussion of the sources of funding for these studies is based in part on the article cited above, in part on my examination of the published reports, and in part on an e-mail communication from Wilfredo Arce, 12 October 1998.

58 Lynch, , ‘Social Acceptance Reconsidered’ in: Lynch and de Guzman eds, Four Readings (4th rev. ed.) 20–21;Google Scholar, Frank Lynch et al., The Philippines Peace Corps Survey: Final Report (Honolulu 1966)Google Scholar.

59 Lynch, , ‘Social Acceptance Reconsidered’ in: Lynch and de Guzman eds, Four Readings (4th rev. ed.) 29–30.Google Scholar

60 Ibid., 38-39.

61 Ibid., 52.

62 Ibid., 47-58.

63 Landajocano, F., ‘Rethinking “Smooth Interpersonal Relations”’, Philippine Sociological Review 14 (10 1966) 286–287.Google Scholar

64 Marsella, Anthony and Escudero, Manuel, ‘Interpersonal Stresses Among Urban Filipino Men from Different Social Classes’, Philippine Sociological Review 18 (04 1970) 69–75;Google ScholarMangierri, Theresa T., ‘On Aggression’, Saint Louis University Research Journal 9 (09-12 1978) 541–545;Google ScholarSzanton, David L., Estancia in Transition: Economic Growth in a Rural Philippine Community (Quezon City 1981) 92–97.Google Scholar Also see Lapuz, Lourdes, A Study of Psychopathology (Quezon City 1973) 55-57, 243, 250–251Google Scholar.

65 Sechrest, Lee, ‘Philippine Culture, Stress, and Psychopathology’ in: Caudill, William and Lin, Tsung-yi eds, Mental Health Research in Asia and the Pacific (Honolulu 1969) 312.Google Scholar

66 Ibid., 313. For a very thoughtful critique of the entire literature on Philippine values, see Wolters, Willem G., ‘Insight and Blinkers on Action and Reflection’ in: Nordholt, Nico Schulte and Visser, Leontine eds, Social Science in Southeast Asia: From Particularism to Universalism (Amsterdam 1995) 133–144Google Scholar.

67 On recent, sociological research concerning values, see Ball-Rokeach, and Loges, , ‘Value Theory’, 2222–2228.Google Scholar For an unintended, revealing view of the attitudes of the next generation of cultural anthropologists about Kluckhohn and his circle, see Geertz, Clifford, After theFact: Four Countries, FourDecades, One Anthropologist (Cambridge Mass. 1995) 100–102Google Scholar.

68 E-mail communications from Stuart Schlegel, 5 October 1998, and Mary Racelis, 13 Octo- ber 1998.